Richens, Peter John (Oral history)

British NCO served with B Coy, 2nd Bn Parachute Regt, 3rd Commando Bde during Falklands War, 4/1982-6/1982

REEL 1 Recollections of operations as company sergeant-major with B Coy, 2nd Bn Parachute Regt, 3rd Commando Bde during Falklands War, 4/1982-5/1982: role as company sergeant-major; hearing news of crisis in South Atlantic, 1/4/1982; embarkation aboard MV Norland; equipment taken; reception aboard MV Norland and send off from Portsmouth; reaction of seaman to shooting of albatross; training aboard MV Norland; provision of unit to carry saline drips; unit morale during voyage; duties at Ascension Island; reaction to submarine scare; problems of disembarking unit from MV Norland; embarkation in landing craft; disembarking from landing craft; encounter with Special Boat Service personnel; question of whether opposed landings expected; building sangars on Sussex Mountain; problems with trench foot and inadequacy of army boots; opinion of professionalism of Argentinean Air Force; problems with artillery fire and maintaining morale on Sussex Mountain. REEL 2 Continues: loss of confidence in missile systems. Recollections of operations as company sergeant-major with B Coy, 2nd Parachute Regt, 3 Commando Bde during Battle of Goose Green, Falkland Islands, 28/5/1982-29/5/1982: approach to Goose Green; reaction to BBC broadcast giving away the unit's position; on start line at Goose Green; opening fire on scarecrow; reasons why only a small number of Argentinean prisoners of war taken; Colonel Herbert 'H' Jones annoyance at holding up of company; situation at daylight; receiving news of death of Colonel Herbert 'H' Jones; use of Milan Anti-Tank Missile against Argentinean positions; shortage of ammunition; problem handling Argentinean prisoners of war; discovery of compatible ammunition and machine gun barrels; showering of company in aviation fuel; attack by British Aerospace Sea Harriers; concern for fate of civilians in settlement; landing of Argentinean reinforcements by helicopter; surrender of Argentineans; handling dead at after battle; condition of former Argentinean quarters; how to tell Argentinean special forces from conscripts; occasion when his section came under fire from the unit. REEL 3 Continues: obtaining captured Argentinean rations; gratitude of civilians; reaction in unit to Major Chris Keeble not being made commanding officer. Recollections of operations as company sergeant-major with B Coy, 2nd Bn Parachute Regt during Falklands War, 5/1982-6/1982: phoning of manager at Fitzroy to check if Argentinean where still there; move by Boeing Chinook HC Mk II helicopter to Fitzroy; meeting with new commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel David Chaunder; Argentinean Air Force attack at Bluff Cove; question of 1st Bn Welsh Guards giving away ammunition at Bluff Cove; effect of peat on Argentinean artillery fire; plan for attack on Wireless Ridge; crossing dummy minefield to attack Wireless Ridge; sight of Argentineans retreating from Wireless Ridge; eagerness to head straight into Port Stanley; accommodation in Port Stanley; state of Port Stanley after surrender of Argentineans; handling of Argentinean prisoners of war in Port Stanley; attitude of civilians to military presence in Port Stanley; return to GB.