Raid on Pebble Island

Pebble Island Raid

Location of Pebble Island (in red), north of the West Falkland island.

Date	14–15 May 1982
Location	Pebble Island, Falkland Islands
Result	British victory

Belligerents

Argentina

United Kingdom

Commanders and leaders

Lieutenant Ricardo Marega

Captain John Hamilton

Strength

Approximately 150 troops

45 SAS troopers and one Naval gunfire observer
Destroyer HMS Glamorgan

Casualties and losses

1 killed
11 aircraft destroyed

2 wounded

The Raid on Pebble Island was a raid by British Special Forces on Pebble Island's airfield during the Falklands War, and took place on the night of 14–15 May 1982. Pebble Island is one of the smaller Falkland Islands, lying north of West Falkland. The site was being used as a forward operating base for T-34 Mentor and Pucara aircraft by the Argentine Air Force; British Special Air Service (SAS) operatives were tasked with destroying the aircraft on the ground, in an operation that echoed back to some of the unit's first missions during the North African Campaign of World War II.

Immediately after the Argentinians had seized the Falkland Islands they established a small airbase, Aeródromo Auxiliar Calderón, on Pebble Island (Argentine name: isla Borbón) using the local airstrip on which were based Argentine Air Force's FMA IA 58 Pucará and some Argentine Naval Aviation's T-34 Mentor light ground attack aircraft. Reconnaissance by these aircraft could have compromised the Royal Navy's manoeuvres before its intended landing on East Falkland.

SAS 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 guns. 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.

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