|
3
Commando Brigade's job
was to establish a bridgehead before the Army's
5th Infantry Brigade (5th Inf Bde) arrived to help complete the
recapture of the Falklands. Its teeth were three Royal Marine
Commandos each with three rifle companies of 120 men each, one HQ
and one support company, all backed up by a number of other Marine
and commando-trained Army units. The Army also provided strong
reinforcements including the 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regt, and
later the 2nd Battalion, both from 5th Inf Bde. Main infantry
weapons were the 7.62mm SLR rifle and 7.62mm general purpose machine
gun, 66mm light (LAW) and 84mm Carl Gustav medium (MAW) anti-armour
weapons and in support companies, 81mm mortars and Milan anti-tank
wire guided missiles.
Marines of K Coy, 42 Cdo RM move off
Mount Kent towards Mount Harriet, captured on 11th/12th June
1982 (Courtesy - Royal Marines Museum)
3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines
Infantry - 40, 42 and 45 Cdo
RM (M Coy 42 Cdo to South Georgia, replaced later by
newly-formed J Coy 42 Cdo)
Artillery - 29 Cdo Regt RA
with Nos 7, 8 and 79 Bty's each of 6x105mm artillery and 148
Cdo Forward Observation Bty RA for naval gunfire observation
Combat engineers - 59
Independent Cdo Sqdn RE
Logistics - Commando
Logistics Regt RM
Helicopters - 3 Cdo Bde Air
Squadron RM with nine Gazelle AH.1's and six Scout AH.1's (two RM Gazelles and one Scout were
lost)
HQ & Communications - Brigade
HQ and Signal Sqdn including 1st Raiding Sqdn equipped with
rigid raiders and Gemini assault craft and an Air Defence
Troop with 12xBlowpipe SAM's
In medium range
reconnaissance role - Mountain and Arctic Warfare (Training)
Cadre
Raiding and reconnaissance -
3 Sections, Special Boat Squadron (No.2 Section to South
Georgia),
Other units - included:
-
Tactical Air Control Parties RM for directing air strikes
-
Y Signals Troop RM
-
Commando Forces Band RM for medical duties
- Two Royal Navy Surgical Support Teams
Army Reinforcements, including:
Infantry - 2nd and 3rd
Battalions The Parachute Regiment each with one HQ, three
rifle, one patrol and one support company
Light armour - B Sqdn, The
Blues and Royals with four Scorpion and four Scimitar light
tanks and one Samson recovery vehicle
Air defence - T Bty, 12 Air
Defence Regt with 12xRapier SAM's
Helicopters - 656 AAC Sqdn
with a flight of three Scout AH.1's
Raiding and reconnaissance -
D and G Sqdns, 22nd SAS Regt (D Sqdn initially to South
Georgia)
Attached to 2 Para -
29 Bty, 4 Field Regt RA
with 6x105mm guns
Troop each from:
43 Air Defence Bty
32 Guided Weapons Regt RA with Blowpipe
9 Para Sqdn RE
16 Field Ambulance RAMC
Explosive ordnance
disposal - from 49 EOD Sqdn RE (and EOD Team RAF)
Other units - included:
- Forward Observation
Officer parties from 4 Field Regt RA
-
Tactical Air Control parties
- Units from:
-
Postal and Courier Regt RE
- Rear Link
Detachments Royal Signals
- 81 Ordnance Coy RAOC
- Mexeflote detachment
17 Port Regt RCT
|
|
