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The Battle of Goose Green was not supposed to be a defining moment of the Falklands War. It was, at first glance, a secondary objective—just a small settlement on the desolate islands, guarded by an outnumbered Argentine force. But what unfolded on May 28-29, 1982, became one of the most intense and unexpected fights of the entire war. A battle where British grit met an overwhelming storm of firepower, and where 1,000 mortar rounds rained down in a deadly duel with 35mm anti-aircraft cannons repurposed for ground combat.
The Argentine defenders, led by Lieutenant Colonel Ítalo Piaggi, had about 1,200 men—mostly conscripts, but with experienced officers and a few elite units. Their strongest asset wasn’t their numbers, but their weapons. Among them were twin-barreled Oerlikon 35mm anti-aircraft cannons—normally used to shred aircraft from the sky, but now turned toward the ground, making them devastating against infantry.
On the other side was the British 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment (2 PARA), commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Herbert "H" Jones. They had discipline, training, and the raw determination to win, but they lacked artillery support, tanks, or heavy weapons. Their deadliest tool? Mortars. Lots of them. Throughout the battle, the British fired over 1,000 mortar rounds, using their indirect firepower to hammer Argentine positions while moving in for close combat.
The British attack began in darkness, creeping toward Argentine positions under cover of night. The defenders, however, were well dug in, and when the first shots rang out, chaos erupted. Argentine machine guns, mortars, and the deafening roar of the 35mm cannons turned the battlefield into a killing ground. The air was filled with shrapnel, dirt, and fire as the British advance slowed under relentless fire.
Then came the mortar response. The British, well-trained in rapid fire techniques, unleashed a non-stop barrage. The Argentine positions, especially those around Darwin Hill, were pounded relentlessly. Smoke and dust obscured the battlefield, making it hard for defenders to aim their heavy cannons. Even as the British took losses, their mortars kept firing—pinning down enemy gunners and disrupting counterattacks.
The turning point came with a daring charge. Despite the overwhelming firepower in front of them, small British units fought their way through the Argentine lines, engaging in brutal close-quarters combat. Colonel H. Jones, in an act of heroism, led an assault on a key machine-gun position but was cut down by enemy fire. His sacrifice, however, galvanized his men, who pressed forward with renewed fury.
As dawn broke, the Argentine resistance crumbled. After hours of relentless fighting, their defensive lines collapsed under pressure, and Piaggi, realizing further resistance was futile, surrendered his force. The British, exhausted and battered, had won—but at a cost of 17 dead and 64 wounded. The Argentines suffered 55 killed and over 1,000 taken prisoner.
The Battle of Goose Green was a microcosm of the Falklands War itself: determination overcoming firepower, elite training besting raw numbers, and old-school infantry tactics outmaneuvering superior weaponry. The clash between 1,000 mortar rounds and 35mm cannons was not just a fight for territory—it was a brutal, close-quarters battle that proved victory in war is never about weapons alone, but about the men who wield them.