Battle for the South Atlantic - Operation Paraquet - Steel Panthers: Main Battle Tank

Battle for the South Atlantic Date: 25th April 1982 Battle Location: Grytviken - South Georgia - Falkland Islands Battle Type: British Assault - Argentine Defend Description: British Assault to recapture South Georgia Operation Paraquet was the code name for the British military operation to recapture the Island of South Georgia from Argentine military control in April 1982 at the start of the Falklands War. The operation was ordered by Admiral Fieldhouse on 12 April 1982. It was to involve Mountain Troop from D Squadron SAS in Ascension, 150 Royal Marines on the tanker Tidespring, 2SBS on Plymouth and 6SBS in the submarine Conqueror. Conqueror was first on the scene and carried out a survey of key areas of the South Georgia coast. The operation was originally supposed to involve both SAS and SBS forces being infiltrated onto South Georgia by helicopters from the Tidespring and Antrim, but the plan had to be changed when the two Wessex helicopters transporting the SAS troops to an ambitious location on the northeast coast crashed in atrocious weather on Fortuna Glacier; the troops and aircrew were rescued by Antrim's Wessex helicopter, the last remaining to the expedition. On 9 April the submarine ARA Santa Fe left port in Argentina with a detachment of marines on board to reinforce the South Georgia garrison, and arrived safely in Grytviken on 24 April. However, on 25 April the Santa Fe was intercepted while sailing away and disabled by depth charges from Antrim's Wessex helicopter and subsequent attacks by task force Wasp and Lynx helicopters, which fired at least six AS-12 missiles on the submarine. The Santa Fe was forced to limp back to Grytviken. There followed an immediate assault by an improvised group of Special Forces and Royal Marines, with two Royal Navy vessels (Antrim and Plymouth) conducting a naval bombardment demonstration on the low hills opposite Grytviken. The garrison at Grytviken and the crew of the disabled Santa Fe surrendered to M Company, 42 Commando, Royal Marines, after fifteen minutes at 17.15 GMT, although the garrison at Leith, under the command of Lieut. Commander Alfredo Astiz, surrendered the following day Sources: Wikipedia - 1982 invasion of the Falkland Islands Designer: Wigam - aka Marcus DOMINEY Blitzkrieg Wargaming Club