MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands' War: Royal Marines cadre clear Top Malo House of Argentine special forces

Captain Boswell of the Royal Marines Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre and 18 of his men were given the task of neutralizing the threat from Top Malo House.

Forty years ago, British troops were advancing towards Port Stanley in the Falklands – most of them on foot. Standing in the way of the advance was Top Malo House, a property suspected of containing Argentine special forces that sat in a compromising high ground position.

Captain Rod Boswell of the Royal Marines Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre and 18 of his men were given the task of neutralizing the threat.

The raid was fought on 31 May 1982 during the Falklands War, between the 1st Assault Section Argentine Special Forces from 602 Commando Company and a patrol formed from staff and trainees of the British Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre, under the Control of 3 Commando Brigade.

Led by Capt Boswell, 18 Royal Marines took the Argentine position after a fierce firefight.

The former captain recalled getting the call from one of the patrols, he said: “One of them called up and said there's an enemy patrol just gone into Top Malo House.

”I said to the brigade commander 'Well, why don't I do it, I've got 20 guys, we're ready to go?'“

The captain was confident with his men going into the raid. ”If we have surprise, 19 versus 17 is odds I'm prepared to take,” he added.

Then at dawn on 31 May, Rod and his men were landed by a Royal Navy helicopter close to the house.

The raid on Top Malo House was an important step in clearing Argentine observation posts ahead of the main British advance to Stanley.