The land forces employed by the United Kingdom during the Falklands War amounted to a divisional sized formation, named as Land Forces Falkland Islands, consisting of two brigades:
3 Commando Brigade - formed primarily by the
Royal Marines, 3 Commando Brigade was the primary British rapid reaction force, tasked with reinforcing the
NATO northern flank in
Norway in the event of war with the
Soviet Union in Europe. 3 Commando Brigade was the formation with most experience of amphibious operations. In its NATO role, 3 Commando Brigade was reinforced by the Dutch
Korps Mariniers. However, the situation required reinforcement by British units, with the result that 2nd & 3rd Battalions of the
Parachute Regiment were reassigned from 5 Infantry Brigade.
5 Infantry Brigade - the UK's main "out of area" reaction formation, tasked with operations outside the European theatre. At the time, it would normally be formed using two battalions of the
Parachute Regiment, together with the UK based
Gurkha battalion. However, since both 2 PARA and 3 PARA were used to reinforce 3 Commando Brigade for the initial landings in the Falklands, 5 Brigade was reinforced with two battalions of
Foot Guards then on
public duties in London along with the Gurkha battalion. These were chosen owing to the fact that they were immediately available, as they were neither on internal security duties in
Northern Ireland nor attached to
BAOR. The brigade was further strengthened by
No. 63 Squadron RAF Regiment, (based at
RAF Gütersloh,
Germany, initially to provide additional
Short Range Air Defence (SHORAD) of land forces landing at San Carlos Water.[citation needed]
Postal courier communications unit detachment of 2 PC Regiment RE, 20 PC Sqn RE (tasked 3 CDO Bde support) & 21 PC Sqn RE (tasked 5 Airborne Bde support)
Detachment 47 Air Despatch Squadron RCT.
59 Independent Commando Squadron Royal Engineers (Maj Roderick Macdonald). (†3)
2 Troop 9 Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers (Capt Robbie Burns)
Detachment 49 EOD Squadron, 33 Engineer Regiment Royal Engineers (†1)
4 Field Regiment,
RA (HQ, 29th and 97th Batteries)
36 Engineer Regiment
RE (Lt Col G Field
OBE (CRE))
9 Parachute Squadron RE (Maj CM Davis)
11 Field Squadron RE (Maj Bruce Hawken) arrived San Carlos 25 May under command 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines. They switched to under command CO 36 Engineer Regiment (as Divisional troops) when they landed around 2 June
61 Field Support Squadron RE (Maj Taffy Morgan)
1 x Field Troop, 20 Field Squadron RE (att 9 Para Sqn RE) (Capt D Foxley)
The land forces employed by the United Kingdom during the Falklands War amounted to a divisional sized formation, named as Land Forces Falkland Islands, consisting of two brigades:
3 Commando Brigade - formed primarily by the
Royal Marines, 3 Commando Brigade was the primary British rapid reaction force, tasked with reinforcing the
NATO northern flank in
Norway in the event of war with the
Soviet Union in Europe. 3 Commando Brigade was the formation with most experience of amphibious operations. In its NATO role, 3 Commando Brigade was reinforced by the Dutch
Korps Mariniers. However, the situation required reinforcement by British units, with the result that 2nd & 3rd Battalions of the
Parachute Regiment were reassigned from 5 Infantry Brigade.
5 Infantry Brigade - the UK's main "out of area" reaction formation, tasked with operations outside the European theatre. At the time, it would normally be formed using two battalions of the
Parachute Regiment, together with the UK based
Gurkha battalion. However, since both 2 PARA and 3 PARA were used to reinforce 3 Commando Brigade for the initial landings in the Falklands, 5 Brigade was reinforced with two battalions of
Foot Guards then on
public duties in London along with the Gurkha battalion. These were chosen owing to the fact that they were immediately available, as they were neither on internal security duties in
Northern Ireland nor attached to
BAOR. The brigade was further strengthened by
No. 63 Squadron RAF Regiment, (based at
RAF Gütersloh,
Germany, initially to provide additional
Short Range Air Defence (SHORAD) of land forces landing at San Carlos Water.[citation needed]
Postal courier communications unit detachment of 2 PC Regiment RE, 20 PC Sqn RE (tasked 3 CDO Bde support) & 21 PC Sqn RE (tasked 5 Airborne Bde support)
Detachment 47 Air Despatch Squadron RCT.
59 Independent Commando Squadron Royal Engineers (Maj Roderick Macdonald). (†3)
2 Troop 9 Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers (Capt Robbie Burns)
Detachment 49 EOD Squadron, 33 Engineer Regiment Royal Engineers (†1)
4 Field Regiment,
RA (HQ, 29th and 97th Batteries)
36 Engineer Regiment
RE (Lt Col G Field
OBE (CRE))
9 Parachute Squadron RE (Maj CM Davis)
11 Field Squadron RE (Maj Bruce Hawken) arrived San Carlos 25 May under command 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines. They switched to under command CO 36 Engineer Regiment (as Divisional troops) when they landed around 2 June
61 Field Support Squadron RE (Maj Taffy Morgan)
1 x Field Troop, 20 Field Squadron RE (att 9 Para Sqn RE) (Capt D Foxley)