Skirmish at Many Branch Point

Skirmish at Many Branch Point
Part of Falklands War
Date 10 June 1982 Location North of Port Howard, West Falkland
Belligerents
Argentina	United Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
First Lieutenant José Martiniano Duarte	Captain Gavin John Hamilton †
Strength
4 commandos of the 601 Company	4 SAS personnel (2 engaged)
Casualties and losses
none	1 killed 1 captured
Location within Falkland Islands

On 10 June 1982, during the Falklands War, Many Branch Point, a ridge near Port Howard, in West Falkland, was the site of a minor skirmish between Argentine and British forces. The engagement ended with the death of the SAS patrol commander, Captain Gavin Hamilton. This action was the only land engagement of British and Argentine forces on West Falkland during the Falklands War.

Whilst the Argentinian 35 mm radar-guided and 20 mm anti-aircraft guns at Port Stanley and Goose Green forced the British Sea Harriers and Harrier GR.3's to carry out air strikes from high altitude, the Argentine garrison on West Falkland was equipped only with 12.7 mm machine guns, which left them exposed to strafing and low-level bombing from the Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm. In a reinforcement of the garrison on West Falkland the Argentine Command dispatched 601 Commando Company to the Head Quarters post of its 5th Regiment of Infantry sited at Port Howard, the commandos bringing with them as a part of their fire-power the British-made shoulder-fired Blowpipe missile system to augment the position's air defences. After a 24-hours trip from Port Stanley the company reached its destination. A few days later, in the morning of 21 May 1982, with the British landing at San Carlos bay ongoing, 601 Commando Company shot the wing off of a GR3 Harrier from No.1 Squadron, R.A.F. on a reconnaissance mission, the pilot (Flt. Lt. Jeffrey Glover) ejecting into the sea badly injured from exiting the aircraft at speed, and being taken prisoner of war by the Port Howard garrison.