The truly great military leader can unite disparate, dispirited elements into an effective fighting
Dear Fellow Earthlings, On the 30th of May 1982 (a Sunday) those Falkland Islanders who usually attended church did so as usual, knowing that the British forces that were intent on liberating them were now in the mountains/very high hills west of Port Stanley. So elated were the locals, that they did not quite understand that they were operating under great hardship. All they could do was praise the British contingent (2 Para) who had liberated Goose Green and rejoice that the captive 100 Goose Green people were no longer in confinement. They felt sorry for that group, whose homes had all been ransacked by the Argentines. But at least they were free once more! Sounds of explosions and artillery exchanges could be heard coming from the mountains west of Port Stanley. The advance SAS forces had prepared the way for Para 3 to arrrive on those hills and to occupy their summits, which the Argentines had apparently not had the foresight to do. On this same day General Jeremy Moore had arrived at San Carlos on board the destroyer HMS Antrim, in advance of his troops of 5 Brigade who were not far behind, but still at sea, being transported from South Georgia on board troop carriers Canberra and Norland. Further inland on East Falkland, as night was falling Para 3 departed Teal Inlet to make their final trek to the mountains west of Port Stanlley. Not long after their departure, 45 Commando, whose loads had been much heavier, arrived at Teal Inlet (shortly after 8 p.m.), where they would take a short break for the evening before catching up with Para 3 the next day. General Moore's presence was badly needed in the Falklands, for he had an uncanny ability to meld disparate, even dispirited groups into effective fighting forces. Friction that was counterproductive to the British efforts in the South Atlantic existed between Admiral Sandy Woodward, head of the naval forces and Brigadier Julian Thompson, head of the landing forces. General Moore's arrival would mark an end to any friction between Woodward and Thompson -- and lead to a speedier resolution to the Falklands conflict.
Steve Walker Earthsaver and Jingles Creator
© 2013 Steve Walker, The Jingles-The Japan Foundation for English Pronunciation, Summit Enterprises.