Raid on Pebble Island

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Pebble Island Raid
partof=Falklands War
campaign=


caption=Pre-raid photo taken from an RAF Harrier showing a T-34 Mentor and a Pucara on the airstrip
date= 14-15 May 1982
place=Pebble Island, Falkland Islands
result=British victory
combatant1=Flagicon|Argentina Argentina
combatant2=Flagicon|United Kingdom United Kingdom
commander1=Lieutenant Ricardo Marega
commander2=Captain John Hamilton
strength1=Approximately 150 troops, including non-combatants (British sources) [cite web |url=http://www.raf.mod.uk/falklands/pebble1.html |title="The SAS raid on the airfield at Pebble Island - 14 May 1982" at the RAF website|accessdate=2006-12-28 |format= |work= ]
31 soldiers
(Argentine sources) [cite web |url=http://www.fuerzaaerea.mil.ar/conflicto/dias/may15.html |title="El ataque al Aeródromo Auxiliar Calderón" (in Spanish) at the Argentine Air Force website|accessdate=2007-01-29)] | strength2=45 SAS troopers and one Naval gunfire observer
Destroyer HMS Glamorgan
casualties1=1 killed
(None according to Argentine sources) [Ruiz Moreno, L.J.:"Comandos en acción". Ediciones Emecé, Buenos Aires, 1987. Chapter VII, page 111. ISBN 950-04-0520-2 (In Spanish)]
11 aircraft destroyed
casualties2=2 wounded
The Raid on Pebble Island took place on 14-15 May 1982 during the Falklands War. Pebble Island is part of the Falkland Islands.

Background

Immediately after the Argentines had seized the Falkland Islands they established a small airbase on Pebble Island using the local airstrip at coord|51|18|32|S|59|36|37|W|name=Peeble Island airfield|display=inline,title on which were based FMA IA 58 Pucará light ground attack aircraft and some T-34 Mentors. These reconnaissance aircraft could have compromised Royal Navy's maneuvers before its intended landing on East Falkland. Special Air Service elements, then embarked on HMS "Hermes", were tasked with eliminating the threat, with naval support from the Type 22 frigate HMS "Broadsword" as "Hermes" defensive escort and the County class destroyer HMS "Glamorgan" to provide naval gunfire support with its Mark 6 4.5 inch gun. The Naval Gunfire Support Forward Observer (NGSFO) who was responsible for co-ordinating the naval gunfire support was Captain Chris Brown RA of 148 Battery 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery.

Initial intentions

Initial intentions were for a Squadron strength air insertion from "Hermes" using personnel from D Squadron, 22 Regiment. The raiding party would destroy the deployed aircraft, radar site, ground crew and the force protection garrison before helicopter exfiltration to return to the deck before daybreak.

Reconnaissance

Reconnaissance for the raid was conducted by personnel from the Boat Troop of D Squadron, conducting an infiltration by Klepper canoe. The patrol found that strong headwinds would increase the time taken to fly in from "Hermes" launch point, delaying time on target and reducing the available offensive window to 30 minutes, rather than the planned 90. In light of this information the planning emphasised the importance of destroying the aircraft as a priority, with support personnel as a secondary priority.

The Raid

During the night of the 14 May two Westland Sea King HC.Mk.4 helicopters of 846 Naval Air Squadron, part of the Commando Helicopter Force, departed with 45 members of D Squadron on board. The delivery point was some 6km (3.7 miles) from the airstrip on Pebble Island. Mountain Troop was tasked with the destruction of the Argentine aircraft, while the remaining personnel acted as a protection force, securing approaches to the airstrip, and forming an operational reserve. The raiding party unloaded over 100 L16 81mm Mortar bombs, explosive charges, and Rocket 66mm HEAT L1A1 Light Anti-tank Weapons to carry into the engagement zone from the helicopters, with each man in the raiding party carrying at least two mortar bombs. For small arms, M-16 rifles were used, some with underslung M203 grenade launchers.

Approach navigation was conducted by a member of the Boat Troop who had carried out the reconnaissance.

As the raiding party approached the target they spotted an Argentine sentry, however they were not compromised, allowing them to enter the target and lay charges onto seven of the aircraft. Once all the aircraft had been prepared the raiding team opened fire with small arms and L1A1 rockets strafing the aircraft. All of the aircraft were damaged, with some having their undercarriages shot away. Following this cue "Glamorgan" then began shelling the Argentine positions on the airfield using high explosive rounds, hitting the ammunition dump and fuel stores.

The defending force did not engage until the entire raiding party had re-grouped and were preparing to move out. One British soldier was hit and wounded while the raiding party returned fire using small arms and M203 grenade launchers, resulting in the death of the Argentine Commanding Officer (according to British assessments) and the suppression of any defensive effort.

The Argentine version states that their marines remained in shelters during the "Glamorgan" shelling, so they were completely unable to face the SAS in combat. The British wounded were the result of shrapnel from exploding charges settled by the Argentines under the airstrip in order to deny its use to the enemy. The blasts were triggered in the belief that the operation was a full-scale assault to take over the air base.

Exfiltration

The wounded man was hauled back to the recovery site with the raiding party reaching the aircraft by the required time for transportation back to "Hermes" before daybreak. The decision was made to proceed with exfiltration rather than returning to destroy the defending force.

Aftermath

Assets destroyed during the raid totalled [ [http://www.naval-history.net/F38opsweek7.htm Sheffield, Glasgow, Conventry, Hermes, Sea Harriers in Falkland Area Operations - Falklands War 1982 ] ] :
*Six FMA IA 58 Pucarás [ [A-502, A-523, A-529, A-552, A-556] ] , "air force".
*Four Turbo Mentor trainer/light attack aircraft, "navy".
*One Short SC.7 Skyvan utility transport aircraft, "coast guard".
*Destruction of the ammunition dump
*Destruction of the fuel dump

The raid was considered a complete success, reminiscent of the type of operation carried out by the SAS in the Second World War.

One of the officers involved, Captain Hamilton, was later killed in another SAS action near Port Howard.

References