Firefight in the Falklands: Goose Green, May 1982

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Falklands War.

On 28-29 May 1982 the elite British Parachute Regiment (the PARAs) fought the first land battle of the war at Goose Green. This was the longest, hardest fought and most important to win. Important because it had both political and operational significance.

The fourteen-hour infantry battle against Argentinian forces was a vicious struggle in which 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment (2 PARA) were outnumbered, exhausted and forced to attack across open ground in full daylight, with inadequate fire support compounded by the loss of their commanding officer, Lt-Col Herbert Jones.

It remains one of the most celebrated victories in the history of the British Army. This presentation will cover the operational, tactical and strategic dimensions of the battle.

Robert Muscat is the President of the Military History Society of New South Wales and a former rifleman in the Australian Army Reserve.

He has two Masters degrees in Education and is currently the principal of a high school south of Sydney.

He has spoken on and written about military history in various forums, mostly focusing on particular battlefield engagements. His last presentation was about the Battle of Maryang-San in the Korean War.