British ground forces in the Falklands War

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This is a list of British ground forces in the Falklands War. For a list of ground forces from Argentina, see Argentine ground forces in the Falklands War

Land Forces[]

Operation Corporate command structure 1982
D-day at San Carlos

The land forces employed by the United Kingdom during the Falklands War amounted to a divisional sized formation, named as Land Forces Falkland Islands, consisting of two brigades:

  • 3 Commando Brigade - formed primarily by the Royal Marines, 3 Commando Brigade was the primary British rapid reaction force, tasked with reinforcing the NATO northern flank in Norway in the event of war with the Soviet Union in Europe. 3 Commando Brigade was the formation with most experience of amphibious operations. In its NATO role, 3 Commando Brigade was reinforced by the Dutch Korps Mariniers. However, the situation required reinforcement by British units, with the result that 2nd & 3rd Battalions of the Parachute Regiment were reassigned from 5 Infantry Brigade.
  • 5 Infantry Brigade - the UK's main "out of area" reaction formation, tasked with operations outside the European theatre. At the time, it would normally be formed using two battalions of the Parachute Regiment, together with the UK based Gurkha battalion. However, since both 2 PARA and 3 PARA were used to reinforce 3 Commando Brigade for the initial landings in the Falklands, 5 Brigade was reinforced with two battalions of Foot Guards then on public duties in London along with the Gurkha battalion. These were chosen as they were immediately available, as they were neither on internal security duties in Northern Ireland nor attached to BAOR.

Land Forces HQ[]

Memorial plaque to the Commando Logistic Regiment at Ajax Bay,

3 Commando Brigade[]

Commander: Brigadier JHA Thompson

Task organization of UK 3 Commando Brigade in Falklands War
  • 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment (Lt Col HWR Pike) — Green Beach - Teal Inlet - Mount Longdon. (†21)
  • Commando Logistics Regiment, Royal Marines (Lt Col I Helberg) (†1)
  • 3 Commando Brigade HQ and Signals Squadron (Maj R Dixon) (†1)
  • 3 Commando Brigade Aviation Squadron (Major CP Cameron) / 9 x Gazelle AH.1 helicopters (†3)　6 x Scout helicopters (†1)
  • Reconnaissance Troops (Lt M Coreth)
  • B Squadron, Blues and Royals / FV101 Scorpion x 4、FV107 Scimitar x 4、FV106 Samson x 1
  • 12 Air Defence Regiment / Rapier Missile FS.B2 Launcher x 12、Land Rover 101 Forward Control x 12
  • Air Defence Troop / Blowpipe Missile launchers x 12　Leyland 4-tonne truck x 12　land rover 109 series III x 12　
  • Raiding Squadron, Royal Marines (Capt Chris Baxter) / Rigid Raiding Craft x 17
  • Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre, Royal Marines (Capt Rod Boswell)
  • SBS (Maj Jonathan Thomson) 67 men　(†1)
    • 2 squad
    • 3 squad
    • 6 squad
  • 22 SAS (Lt Col HM Rose) 107 men (†19)
    • D Squadron
    • G Squadrons
  • 1 Tactical air control parties
  • 2 Tactical air control parties
  • 3 Tactical air control parties
  • maintenance group
  • Rear link detachment, 30 Signal Regiment (†3)
  • Elements of 17 Port Regiment Royal Corps of Transport.
    • 3 x Mexeflote 　detachments.
    • 5 x Landing ship 　logistics detachments.
    • 2 x FV 4018 Centurion BARV　
  • 3 x Surgical support teams
  • Postal courier communications unit detachment of 2 PC Regiment RE, 20 PC Sqn RE (tasked 3 CDO Bde support) & 21 PC Sqn RE (tasked 5 Airborne Bde support)
  • Detachment 47 Air Despatch Squadron RCT.
  • 59 Independent Commando Squadron Royal Engineers (Maj Roderick Macdonald). (†3)
    • 2 Troop 9 Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers (Capt Robbie Burns)
  • Detachment 49 EOD Squadron, 33 Engineer Regiment Royal Engineers (†1)
    • 2 man bomb disposal team
  • Y Troop detachment communications
  • Commando forces Band (stretcher-bearers)

^1 - Replaced by Lt Col David Chaundler

5 Infantry Brigade[]

Commander: Brigadier MJA Wilson

Infantry weapons[]

A L2-A2 fragmentation grenade
  • L9A1 Browning[1][2]
  • L1A1 SLR (main infantry weapon)
  • L42A1 (Sniper rifle)[2]
  • L2-A2 (Hand grenade)
  • M79 (infantry grenade launcher)
  • L4A3 Bren
  • L7A2 GPMG
  • L14A1 Carl Gustav Recoilless Rifle
  • Rocket 66mm HEAT L1A1
  • MILAN ATGM (used against Argentine bunkers)
  • L9A1 51 mm Mortar
  • L16A1 81 mm Mortar
  • Blowpipe MANPADS (infantry use)
  • FIM-92 Stinger MANPADS (special forces use)
  • M16A1 & M203 (special forces weapon)
  • CAR-15 (special forces weapon)
  • L2A3 Sterling (support services weapon i.e. for tank crewmen, engineers and artillerymen)[2]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Britain's Small Wars". Archived from the original on 2007-12-23. Retrieved 2007-11-23.
  2. ^ a b c "Guns of the Falklands War"

Sources[]

  • The Battle For The Falklands, Max Hastings and Simon Jenkins, 1983, Michael Joseph Ltd., ISBN 0-330-35284-9
  • The Official History of the Falklands Campaign, Sir Lawrence Freedman, 2005, Routledge, ISBN 0-7146-5207-5

External links[]

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