The Battle for Wireless Ridge took place on the night of the 13^th/14^th June 1982 and involved 2 Para attacking Wireless Ridge supported by artillery from 29 Commando, Royal Artillery, and Scimitar and Scorpion light tanks from the Blues and Royals. Wireless Ridge was to the east of Mount Longdon and to the northeast of Mount Tumbledown. On the nights of the 11^th, 12th, 13th and 14^th June the Task Force made a decisive breakthrough in the defences of the Argentineans attacking Mount Harriet, Two Sisters, Mount Tumbledown and Mount Longdon. Part of this advance to Port Stanley included capturing Wireless Ridge.

 

Originally Wireless Ridge was going to be attacked by 3 Para after the fighting at Mount Longdon had ended. However, accurate Argentine artillery fire kept 3 Para pinned down despite the fact that the Argentine forces had surrendered at Mount Longdon. Therefore, 2 Para, at Fitzroy Bay, were airlifted to the battle area and ordered to attack Wireless Ridge. 3 Para were to help out 2 Para by providing mortar cover as 2 Para advanced.

 

Lieutenant Colonel D Chaundler now commanded 2 Para. He wanted a ‘noisy’ attack on Wireless Ridge. Therefore, while 2 Para moved to their Start Line, 105mm guns from 29 Commando, Royal Artillery, pounded Argentine positions on the Ridge. The actual attack by 2 Para started at 21.45, thirty minutes after the artillery bombardment had started.

 

The artillery fire was accurate and must have thoroughly demoralised the men of the 7^th Infantry Regiment tasked with defending the ridge. By the time A, B, C and D companies had moved past their Start Line, the Argentineans were already leaving their positions. D Company actually attacked what is known as Wireless Ridge and found little opposition on the western side of it.

 

While A and B companies held what was called ‘Apple Pie’, D Company found that Argentine resistance grew more and more fierce as they moved from west to east over the ridge. Each trench and emplacement had to be fought for. However, by the morning of the 14^th June, Wireless Ridge was in the hands of 2 Para. Despite this success, men from D Company were still susceptible to Argentine artillery. A brief counter-attack by an Argentine force in the morning of the 14^th was swiftly repelled by accurate artillery fire from 29 Commando.

 

For the bravery shown at Wireless Ridge, 2 Para was awarded three Military Crosses, one Military Medal and one Distinguished Combat Medal. 29 Commando was awarded one Military Cross.