Wireless Ridge
| Wireless Ridge | |||
| Falkland Islands | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Tumbledown, Two Sisters, and Wireless Ridge from Stanley Harbour | |||
| East Falkland | |||
| 51°40’12"S, 57°55’55"W | |||
Wireless Ridge is a hill on East Falkland, standing just to the northwest of Stanley, the capital of the Falkland Islands. It is at the northern end of the ring of hills around the capital.
The position of Wireless Ridge made it a strategic position during the Falklands War of 1982 and the site of the Battle of Wireless ridge fought here on the same night that British forces took on and overwhelmed the Argentine positions on all these hills
Falklands War
The Battle of Wireless Ridge was fought on the night from 13 to 14 June 1982, at the very end of the Falklands War as the British forces closed in on the capital. Wireless was one of the high points occupied by the Argentines around Stanley, and their last defence. On the same winter's night, the seven strategic hills occupied by the Argentines around the capital were attacked and the defences overwhelmed in a series of action, amongst them on Mount Longdon, Sapper Hill and Mount Tumbledown.
The British force attacking Wirelaess consisted of the heroes of Goose Green, 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, known as 2 Para, a troop of the Blues & Royals, with two FV101 Scorpion and two FV107 Scimitar light tanks, as well as artillery support from two batteries of 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery and naval gunfire support provided by the guns of HMS Ambuscade. Units from the Argentine 7th Infantry Regiment held the hill. Before the assault the Argentines were having an easy time of it shooting sheep and roasting them on an old bed frame the soldiers had found nearby:[1] Private Guillermo Vélez maintains that he personally shot and killed 50 sheep during his time on Wireless Ridge.[2]
The rest though was temporary: during the night of the 13 June, 2Para advanced and by the morning the Argentine soldiers were fleeing back to the town. The other hills were likewise taken during the night and early morning. The Argentine surrender was signed the following day.
Outside links
References
- ↑ ‘You never get over it, but I have a double problem. I was fighting against Brits, people who were as good as family' . By Sophie Arie. Published on Saturday 30 March 2002. news.scotsman.com.
- ↑ Daniel Kon, p. 24, Los Chicos de la Guerra: Hablan los soldados que estuvieron en Malvinas, Galerna, 1982
