How many falkland civilians died in the war

British navigator John Davis may have sighted the islands in , and in British Navy Captain John Strong made the first recorded landing on the islands. In , the British settled West Falkland but left in for economic reasons. Spain abandoned its settlement in In , Argentina declared its independence from Spain and in proclaimed its sovereignty over the Falklands.

In , a British force expelled the remaining Argentine officials and began a military occupation. In , a British lieutenant governor was appointed, and by the s a British community of some 1, people on the islands was self-supporting.

In , the wind-blown Falkland Islands were collectively granted colonial status. For the next 90 years, life on the Falklands remained much unchanged, despite persistent diplomatic efforts by Argentina to regain control of the islands. In , the 1, Falkland Islanders—mostly sheep farmers—voted in a referendum to remain British, and it seemed unlikely that the Falklands would ever revert to Argentine rule. Meanwhile, in Argentina, the military junta led by Lieutenant General Leopoldo Galtieri was suffering criticism for its oppressive rule and economic management and planned the Falklands invasion as a means of promoting patriotic feeling and propping up its regime.

Argentine amphibious forces rapidly overcame the small garrison of British marines at the town of Stanley on East Falkland and the next day seized the dependent territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich group.

A sergeant says he had to be operated on after being kicked in the testicles. The Falklands War began in April , when Argentine troops invaded the British overseas territory which Argentina calls the Malvinas.

A British task force was sent to the area and regained control of the islands in June. Three Falklands civilians and British servicemen died during the conflict. The number of Argentine dead is estimated at about Argentine defeat precipitated the end of the country's brutal military government, which was already facing serious economic problems and lack of popular support.

Despite widespread criticism in Argentina of the invasion, most Argentines continue to claim the islands as theirs. But the silent phase did not last long as the Paratroopers bumped into the Argentine positions in unexpected places. The attack stalled at the base of Darwin Hill.

Then, at 9. He was killed attacking a slit trench along with the battalion adjutant, Captain David Wood, and others. Jones was later awarded the Victoria Cross VC for his bravery. The assault continued with ferocious trench-to-trench fighting. The Paras moved down the isthmus, closing on Goose Green village. By last light, the whole peninsular, less the Goose Green settlement, had been taken.

Negotiations with the Argentines produced their surrender the next day. The British had won a significant victory, though not without cost. Eighteen were killed, more than 60 wounded, and a helicopter was lost attempting casualty evacuation. This left the defence of the San Carlos perimeter in the hands of 40 Commando. The pressing question was how to advance on and capture Stanley, particularly before the onset of winter.

Moore wanted to get on with the job as quickly as possible. But his two brigade commanders differed in their appreciation of the situation.

Thompson advocated the taking of the mountain line outside Stanley, particularly those along the northern flank. Wilson wanted to attack with all forces on a narrow front at Mount Harriet in the south, paving the way for an assault on the inner perimeter. Moore believed that a narrow front attack would expose his forces to enfilade fire from the unsubdued high ground. He was also aware that the Argentines were focusing on a southern front advance.

This would keep the Argentines confused as to the actual line of assault, and prevent them reinforcing their positions. The key heights could then be taken in a two-pronged assault. But the logistical challenges of supporting both brigades were considerable.

First, they proceeded to Teal Inlet and from there to Estancia House, in preparation for the final battles for Stanley.

But further south, an audacious gamble was about to fail. Finding it free from Argentines, and using the ordinary civilian landline to Fitzroy to check that was clear from Argentines too, they moved forward again, and took up positions around Bluff Cove.

Efforts to bring the Scots Guards and Welsh Guards forward were beset by poor weather and lack of shipping and landing craft. It was a clear day. The cloud base that had covered the islands and limited Argentine air activity had lifted.

Unloading the ships was a slow and confused process. There was only one helicopter present, occupied for a long time off-loading the Rapier kit, which took 18 lifts. Attention then turned to 'Sir Galahad', which still held two companies of Guardsmen and had been at Fitzroy five hours without meaningful activity.

Fuel for the Rapier generators on 'Sir Galahad' exploded. Around were badly burned and wounded. It was the single worst instance of loss of life in the war for the British.

BBC cameras recorded images of Royal Navy helicopters hovering in thick smoke to winch survivors from the burning landing ships, or use the down wash of their rotors to drive life rafts to shore. These images were seen around the world — although not in the UK until after the Argentine surrender owing to British censorship. He, therefore, expected a drop in British morale, and their advance to slacken. In the aftermath of Fitzroy, Moore reorganised his forces.

After the experiences at Goose Green, both Moore and Thompson put a great deal of attention into the fire plan. They moved as much ammunition forward as possible, and also carefully planned naval gunfire. All the attacks would also be made at night. Nearly 12, rounds of mm ammunition were brought up for the first phase, and four warships were allocated for fire support. The next 48 hours would see the fate of the campaign decided. First, on the night of June, 3 Para attacked well-prepared positions on Mount Longdon.

Surprise was lost when the advancing Paras triggered a mine, and a hard and vicious fight followed. Sergeant Ian McKay won a posthumous VC for his bravery in rallying momentum and charging a machine-gun post. The difficulty was that the mountain had a false ridge, which meant fighting across a series of crests. There were also small bowls, and concealed sangers, so the Argentines were able to maintain resistance despite a wave of Paras passing over them.

By the time the mount was secured, 3 Para had lost 23 men, making it the costliest battle of the war for the British. Fifty Argentines were killed, and 50 taken prisoner. The fact that the Prime Minister could announce that a task force was sailing meant that political attention soon moved on from the humiliation of being caught out helped by the resignation of foreign secretary Lord Carrington and on to the campaign.

The initial assumption was that sending a task force would create conditions for a diplomatic settlement. The British agreed to substantial concessions, including a measure of Argentine influence over an interim administration while talks over the long-term future of the islands went ahead.

The junta, however, could not bring itself in the end to concede that the talks might not end with a transfer of sovereignty.

Diplomatic activity filled the weeks as the British task force sailed south. Sir Lawrence Freedman, official historian of the Falklands War, recounts what happened when the British task force reached the Falkland Islands. If an amphibious landing was going to be undertaken then first it would be vital to reduce the naval and air threat. The reduction of the naval threat was the result of one of the most controversial encounters of the war.

As soon as the carrier battle group reached the Falklands area the commander, Admiral Sandy Woodward, managed to draw out the Argentine navy and air force by giving the impression of attempting a landing.

Meanwhile the Argentine navy sought to catch the British fleet in a pincer movement. This was agreed and the Belgrano was torpedoed by Conqueror on 2 May even though the Argentine pincer movement had by then been called off and the cruiser had turned away. This, and the loss of lives in the attack, led to later controversy, including erroneous claims that the torpedo strike was really about scuppering a new peace initiative.

The military effect was exactly as intended, as the Argentine navy never again ventured out. The initial landing was unopposed, but soon waves of Argentine aircraft came in. Over the next few days the ships of the task force took a battering, four being sunk and many others damaged. By the end of the month men and equipment were ashore and the fighting switched to land. The British launched their final push in a series of short but intense battles until finally the Argentine will collapsed.

On 14 June the Argentine garrison surrendered. The war cost some Argentine and British dead and did not settle the dispute: Argentina still claims the Falklands. If it had left well alone in , depopulation would eventually have left the Falklands unviable. Instead the victory led to firmer British commitment, and so the Falklands is more prosperous and secure than ever before.