Lewis, Mark 42 Commando Royal Marines in the Falklands War

A Story of Good Eggs and Dodgy Oppos

The British military during the Cold War era trained to counter the real threat of a Russian invasion of any vulnerable NATO country. The Royal Marines enthusiastically took on the role of Arctic combat troops on Norway's northern flank and became experts in this field. The idea was to deny the Russian submarine fleet access to the Norwegian fjords, which would have prevented the US from reinforcing Northern Europe. How did NATO and the British military implement this? Well, they sent the Royal Marines to Norway for three months of skiing every year, their military skills were further enhanced by sailing trips around the world, and every sporting activity was encouraged. Occasional deployments to Northern Ireland maintained internal security skills, but the big event was the invasion of the Falkland Islands by Argentine forces in April 1982. The Royal Marines effortlessly adapted their commando and Arctic warfare skills to not only brave the elements of a harsh winter in the South Atlantic, but also to overwhelm a numerically superior army 8,000 miles from the United Kingdom. The 42nd Commando of the Royal Marines played a significant role in this conflict, carrying out one of the most successful battalion-strength assaults since the Second World War on Mount Harriet.