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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 John Hamilton. This action was the only land engagement of British and Argentine forces on West Falkland during the Falklands War. ==Background== While the 35 mm radar-guided and 20 mm anti-aircraft guns in Port Stanley and Goose Green forced Sea Harrier and Harrier GR.3 to carry out air strikes from high altitude,〔Woodward, page 36〕 the Argentine garrisons at West Falkland were 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 a special forces company, the 601, to the headquarters 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.〔Ruiz Moreno, page 141 and page 146〕 After a 24-hours trip from Port Stanley, the company reached its destination.〔Ruiz Moreno, pp. 144-145〕 A few days later, with the British landing at San Carlos bay ongoing, 601 found its mark when it shot down a GR3 Harrier on a recce mission, the pilot (Flt. Lt. Jeffrey Glover) ejecting and being taken prisoner.〔(British aircraft losses, 21 May entry )〕 The Argentine garrison on West Falkland had by this time became virtually isolated due the developing strategic situation, and 601 Commando Company was issued with an order to collect information about British activity on the opposite coast of the Falkland Sound. In the meantime, British Army SAS patrols had also been active around the Argentine advanced posts on West Falkland. On 5 June, a four-men patrol led by Capt. Hamilton moved into an observation position on a ridge overlooking Port Howard from the North at ''Many Branch Point'' with the intention of gathering intelligence on the town.〔Strawson, page 239〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Skirmish at Many Branch Point」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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