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37-533: Sapper Hill (453 ft) is on East Falkland , located just south of Stanley , the Falklands Islands capital. It is named after a troop of sappers who were once billeted at Moody Brook barracks. Mount Tumbledown , Mount William and Sapper Hill lie west of the Falkland Islands capital Stanley and due to their proximity to Stanley were of strategic importance during the 1982 War . They were held by

74-683: A counterattack but were beaten back. As the Argentine Marine companies withdrew they were targeted by a laser-guided bomb dropped by Flight Lieutenant Mark Hare in XZ133 killing two of the Marine canines, Negro and Ñaro . Argentine Panhard armoured cars were moved forward to the edge of Stanley to cover the retreating troops. When the Welsh Guardsmen advanced they found Sapper Hill abandoned. Almost 30 years after Britain and Argentina went to war,

111-512: A formal protest over the proclamation, which went unanswered. Vernet assured the British consul that his interest was purely commercial and once more urged the British to establish a permanent presence in the islands. Vernet was the first person to be proclaimed Governor, although modern Argentine texts claim the captains of the Heroina and Pachego as "governors". " Puerto Luis ", as it was renamed, became

148-482: A little over half the total area of the islands consists of two land masses of approximately equal size. The island is almost bisected by two deep fjords , Choiseul Sound and Brenton Loch - Grantham Sound , which are separated by the 2.2 kilometres (1.4 mi) wide isthmus that connects Lafonia in the south to the northern part of East Falkland. The island's 1,668.7 km (1,036.9 miles) coastline has many smaller bays, inlets and headlands. The northern part of

185-399: A project was launched to rid the territory of the approximately 19,000 landmines left by Argentine troops and that BACTEC International Ltd. had been awarded the contract to clear four sites at Fox Bay , Goose Green , Sapper Hill, and Surf Bay. On 11 December 2009, demining work started at Sapper Hill and on a battle area clearance task adjacent to the demining area. The Sapper Hill site

222-706: A seal hunting base and small fishing port. Vernet later seized an American ship, the Harriet , for breaking a monopoly he had proclaimed on seal hunting, one not recognised by either the American or British Governments. (Both formally disputed the restrictions through their consuls in Buenos Aires.) Property on board the ship was seized and the captain was sent to Buenos Aires to stand trial. Vernet accompanied him. The American Consul in Argentina strongly protested Vernet's actions, stating

259-570: A wealthy cattle and hide merchant from Montevideo, obtained a grant of the southern portion of the East Falkland from the British government. He purchased the peninsula, 600,000 acres (2,400 km ) in extent, together with all the wild cattle on East Falkland, for a period of six years, for the sum of £10,000 down, and £20,000 in ten years from 1 January 1852. In 1851 the Falkland Islands Company , which had been incorporated by charter in

296-409: Is a lighthouse at Cape Pembroke near Stanley. East Falkland contains most of the archipelago's few roads. The main industries on the island are fishing, sheep farming , and tourism. Some oats are also grown, but due to high humidity and acidic soil, the land is mainly used for grazing. As Stanley is the capital, and East Falkland is the most populous island, it performs an economic role as the hub of

333-689: Is also in Stanley. Port Louis, at the head of Berkeley Sound, was once the seat of government. However, the anchorage there was found to be rather too exposed, and about 1844 a town was laid out, and the necessary public buildings were erected, on Stanley Harbour, a sheltered recess within Port William. Other settlements include Port Louis , Darwin , Port San Carlos , San Carlos , Salvador , Johnson's Harbour , Fitzroy , Mare Harbour , and Goose Green . East Falkland also has two airports with paved runways, Port Stanley Airport and RAF Mount Pleasant . There

370-613: Is known as Lafonia ; it is joined by a narrow isthmus where the settlement of Goose Green is located, and it was the scene of the Battle of Goose Green during the Falklands War . The two main centres of population in the Falklands, Stanley and Mount Pleasant , which are both in the northern half of East Falkland, are home to three-quarters of the island's population. East Falkland, which has an area of 6,605 km (2,550 square miles),

407-474: Is underlain by Mesozoic rocks ( sandstone ), a younger rock than the Palaeozoic rock to the north, giving a flatter landscape than is seen elsewhere on the island. Other scenery includes Mount Simon , stone runs , heathland , and bogs . Gypsy Cove is noted as a beauty spot. Stanley , the capital of the islands and the main seaport is in East Falkland. The islands' ( Anglican ) Christ Church Cathedral

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444-626: The Falkland Islands to be free from any ruling power. Modern Argentina claims the Americans destroyed the settlement, but Captain Duncan's log tells of only spiking the cannons and destroying the powder store. Duncan arrested the seven senior members of Vernet's settlement for piracy and provided transport to Montevideo for any member of the settlement who wished to leave. The majority of the population decided to leave, claiming Vernet had misled them about

481-664: The 1850s. In 1925 the Bodie Suspension Bridge was built across a creek in Lafonia, and is claimed to be the southernmost in the world. It is still in pedestrian use today. In April 1982, East Falkland was invaded by Argentina . The Governor, Rex Hunt , was informed by the British Government of a possible Argentinian invasion on Wednesday 31 March. Hunt summoned the two senior Royal Marines officers of Naval Party 8901 to Government House in Stanley to discuss how to defend

518-401: The 5th Marine Battalion was deployed on Mounts Tumbledown and William. BIM 5 positions were bombarded, from the sea by naval gunfire and from the air by Royal Air Force Harriers , during May and June. On 1 May a Private from M Company was killed during a Naval bombardment. As part of the British plan for the Battle of Mount Tumbledown , the 1st Battalion the 7th Gurkha Rifles (1/7 GR)

555-562: The Argentine 5th Naval Infantry Battalion (BIM 5), a reinforced, cold weather trained and equipped Marine battalion . The 5th Marines were strengthened by three Tigercat SAM , an Hispano-Suiza 35mm battery of the 1st Marine Anti-Aircraft Regiment, the heavy machine-gun company of the Headquarters Battalion and part of Marine Dog Platoon with 5 canines Ñaro , Nego , Vogel , Warner and Xuavia and their handlers. The bulk of

592-514: The Argentine position by helicopter and immediately began an assault using General Purpose Machine Guns and 66mm anti-tank rockets . After the Battle of Mount Tumbledown, the 5th Marines withdrew to Stanley, leaving M Company to cover their retreat. Three Argentine Marines were killed covering the withdrawal in a firefight with men from 9 Troop Charlie Company, 40 Commando Royal Marines. Marine Midshipman Marcelo Davis's 1st Platoon from M/BIM 5 attempted

629-513: The Falklands) is Mount Usborne which has a height of 705 m (2,313 ft). The area away from the mountain range consists chiefly of low undulating ground, a mixture of pasture and morass , with many shallow freshwater tarns , and small streams running in the valleys. Two inlets, Berkeley Sound and Port William , run far into the land at the north-eastern extremity of the island and provide anchorage for shipping. In contrast, Lafonia

666-525: The Falklands. Major Mike Norman was given overall command of the Marines because of his seniority, while Major Gary Noott became Hunt's military advisor. The total strength was only 68 Marines and 11 sailors, which nevertheless was more than would normally have been available, since the garrison was in the process of changing over. Their numbers were reinforced by 25 Falkland Islands Defence Force (FIDF) members. The FIDF commanding officer, Major Phil Sommers, tasked

703-568: The United States did not recognise Argentine sovereignty over the Falklands. The American consul dispatched the USS Lexington to Puerto Luis to retake the confiscated property, as well as the ships "Superior" and "Breakwater", which had also been seized. In 1832, the USS ; Lexington attacked Puerto Luis, an act which was later condoned by the American ambassador in Buenos Aires, who declared

740-427: The archipelago. Many cruise ships now stop there. A large economic role is also played by RAF Mount Pleasant , which has a number of British military personnel based there. Although these number a few hundred, their economic role in a population of under two thousand is significant. Smaller industries include horse and cattle farming, and there is also recent evidence to suggest possible valuable mineral deposits on

777-439: The area's wildlife, while on HMS  Beagle . The first permanent settlement on East Falkland began with Louis de Bougainville establishing Port Louis on Berkeley Sound in 1764. The French settlement included a number of Bretons , and the islands became known as "Îles Malouines" (the islands of St Malo ), later Hispanicised as "Islas Malvinas". For years, Port Louis was the main settlement, not only on East Falkland, but

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814-499: The entire archipelago and a subject of controversy. In October 1820, Colonel David Jewett sought shelter in the islands after his ship, the frigate Heroina , was damaged in a storm. Jewett was an American privateer employed as captain by the Buenos Aires businessman Patrick Lynch , who had obtained a privateering licence for the ship from the Buenos Aires Supreme Director. Jose Rondeau. On 6 November 1820 he raised

851-712: The flag of the United Provinces of the River Plate at Port Louis and claimed possession of the entire archipelago in the name of the United Provinces of the South (which later became the United Provinces of The River Plate and ultimately Argentina). Eyewitnesses present, such as James Weddell , felt the ceremony was designed simply to establish a salvage claim over a French wreck. In 1823, Argentina granted fishing rights to Jorge Pacheco and Luis Vernet . Their first expedition to

888-510: The growth of Stanley, but has declined in the Camp . Most of the improvements in the islands have taken place on East Falkland. Isthmus Isthmus and land bridge are related terms, with isthmus having a broader meaning. A land bridge is an isthmus connecting Earth's major land masses. The term land bridge is usually used in biogeology to describe land connections that used to exist between continents at various times and were important for

925-471: The island, apart from the coastal strip bordering the Choiseul Sound , is largely underlain by Palaeozoic rocks in the form of quartzite and slate , which tend to form rugged landscapes and coastlines and to cause the soil to be poor and acidic . The principal range of hills, the 600 m (2,000 feet) Wickham Heights , runs from east to west. The highest point of the range (also the highest point in

962-670: The island. Due to more intensive human settlement, East Falkland has the corresponding conservation problems. The warrah was one of the first casualties, as Darwin says in The Voyage of the Beagle : Rats have also been introduced, but despite this, the island has a great deal of marine life, including penguins of various kinds. Guanacos were unsuccessfully introduced in 1862 to East Falkland south of Mt Pleasant where Prince Alfred hunted them in 1871. They have since become extinct, but are still on Staats Island Charles Darwin surveyed

999-548: The islands ended in failure and Pacheco abandoned the venture. Vernet persisted with a second expedition in 1826. also ending in failure due to the combination of the Brazilian blockade of Argentina and the conditions encountered. Vernet finally succeeded in establishing a settlement at Puerto Soledad in 1828. Prior to both expeditions, Vernet had approached the British consulate in Buenos Aires , seeking permission for his venture in

1036-473: The islands. Subsequently, Vernet furnished the consulate with progress reports and urged the establishment of a permanent British garrison in the islands. In 1829, Vernet approached the Government of Buenos Aires requesting the settlement be supported by a naval vessel. The request was refused, and instead Vernet was proclaimed to be Governor and authorised to act using his own resources. The British consul lodged

1073-790: The migration of people and various species of animals and plants, e.g. Beringia and Doggerland . An isthmus is a land connection between two bigger landmasses, while a peninsula is rather a land protrusion that is connected to a bigger landmass on one side only and surrounded by water on all other sides. Technically, an isthmus can have canals running from coast to coast (e.g. the Panama Canal ), and thus resemble two peninsulas; however, canals are artificial features distinguished from straits . The world's major isthmuses include: Of historic importance were: The cities of Auckland , Madison , Manila , and Seattle are located on isthmuses. Canals are often built across isthmuses, where they may be

1110-413: The miserable conditions in the islands. Following these events, Vernet resigned as Governor. The Argentine Government then appointed Esteban José Francisco Mestivier as governor, and sought to establish a penal colony in the islands. (Mestivier's appointment was in fact the only Argentine appointment to follow the norms of the time and was properly gazetted.). Shortly after his arrival, however, Mestivier

1147-554: The original French name of the settlement Port Saint Louis . It became both a naval garrison and civilian settlement. Shortly after this, the second voyage of HMS Beagle surveyed the island. The names of two settlements on East Falkland, Darwin and Fitzroy , commemorate Charles Darwin and Robert FitzRoy . On 15 March 1833, an unimpressed Darwin wrote In November 1836, the island was surveyed by Admiral George Grey, and further in 1837 by Lowcay. Admiral Grey described their first view of East Falkland – In 1845 Samuel Fisher Lafone,

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1184-463: The same year, paid £30,000 for Lafone's interest in Lafonia , as the peninsula came to be called. Lafone had never even visited the islands. The only remaining signs of this venture are the ruins at Hope Place and the stone corral at Darwin. In 1859, the town of Darwin was founded. Although used for sheep farming since the early nineteenth century, East Falkland was dominated by cattle farming until

1221-471: The volunteer militiamen with guarding key points including the telephone exchange , the radio station and the power station . Jack Solis, commanding the civilian coastal ship Forrest , operated his vessel as an improvised radar screen station off Stanley. East Falkland was also the location of the bulk of the land-based action in the Falklands War . As a result, some areas of the "Camp" in East Falkland were still heavily mined until 2020, when all de-mining

1258-542: Was completed in the Falkland Islands. Areas that saw intensive combat included Goose Green , San Carlos , Mount Longdon and the Two Sisters ridge. Following the Falklands War, Britain increased its military presence on the East Falkland. The Falkland Islands Government has invested heavily in improving facilities in Stanley and transportation around the islands, tarmacking many roads. The population has risen, because of

1295-520: Was declared clear of mines on 25 March 2010. East Falkland in the  Falkland Islands  (red & white) East Falkland ( Spanish : Isla Soledad ) is the largest island of the Falklands in the South Atlantic, having an area of 6,605 km (2,550 square miles) or 54% of the total area of the Falklands. The island consists of two main land masses, of which the more southerly

1332-527: Was given the task of capturing the sub-hill of Mount William held by O Company, the 5th Marine Battalion's reserve, and then allow the Royal Marines under the command of the Welsh Guards through to seize Sapper Hill, the final obstacle before Stanley. The attacks were supported by naval gunfire from HMS Active . During the initial assault, Royal Marines from C company, 40 Commando were inserted close to

1369-466: Was murdered by his own men and the settlement was in chaos. These events spurred Britain to return to the islands, ( See Re-establishment of British rule on the Falklands (1833) ), requesting that the Argentine military presence leave on 3 January 1833 (though remaining members of the settlement were encouraged to stay). "Puerto Luis" was renamed "Ansons Harbour", but reverted to "Port Louis" in line with

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