The Pebble Island Raid - Falklands

Platoon Level
PBEM or play as British
Normal Conditions

Pebble Island lies just to the north of West Falkland. Besides a small settlement of about 25 souls and 25,000 sheep, there was a short grass airfield on the island in 1982. The Argentines moved two units of short take-off ground attack aircraft to the airfield. The British were aware that air superiority was going to be an uphill fight around the islands and they feared what the ground attack planes could do to infantry on the open terrain of the Falklands. Partially for these reasons and partially to sate a Parliament and media that were demanding action, the British High Command ordered the 22nd SAS Regiment to conduct an old fashioned raid on the airfield long before the Marines and their amphibious ships arrived.

A patrol from Boat Troop, 22nd SAS was inserted by helicopter on West Falkland and then used to canoes to paddle across to Pebble Island. The patrol confirmed the presence of eleven aircraft at the airstrip and this information was passed on to Admiral Woodward. On the night of May 13-14, HMS Hermes and her escorts dashed towards the Falklands. Sea Kings lifted elements of D Squadron to Pebble Island where they met up with the patrol from Boat Troop. Air and Mountain troops prepared to assault the airfield, while Mobility Troop moved towards the settlement.

A platoon from H Company, 3rd Marines as well as naval air units protected the airfield. They had prepared positions, but expected an attack from the sea rather than a raid. The rain and wind had made their life on Pebble Island less than pleasant.

At 0215 hours, the SAS started their assault. On cue, HMS Glamorgan opened fire on the Argentine positions to the west of the airfield and provided illumination for the advancing troopers. The SAS mortar also fired illumination, but the buttplate continually sank into the soggy ground, forcing it to be re-sited after each shot. Air Troop provided covering fire, while Mountain Troop started to place explosives on the aircraft and vandalize anything of value. The Argentines' reaction was confused and it was not until after their airplanes started to burn that they realized where the enemy was. Their reaction was half-hearted and slow, allowing the SAS to damage ten of the eleven aircraft to the point where they would not fly again without repairs. The SAS then withdrew to their helicopters with their two wounded troopers. Many of these same men would die in the South Atlantic when the Sea King that was ferrying them from ship to ship was hit by a bird and crashed into the ocean.