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Mullet Creek

Coordinates: 51°43′17″S 57°53′42″W / 51.72129°S 57.89498°W / -51.72129; -57.89498
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This article is about the creek in the Falkland Islands. For the river in Wisconsin, see Mullet River. For the creek in Australia, see Wondabyne, New South Wales. For locality in Queensland, see Mullett Creek, Queensland.

51°43′17″S 57°53′42″W / 51.72129°S 57.89498°W / -51.72129; -57.89498

Mullet Creek
Location
CountryUnited Kingdom
RegionEast Falkland, Falkland Islands
Physical characteristics
SourceMullet Creek Stream
MouthPort Harriet
Length3 m (9.8 ft)
Basin size
12 km2

Mullet Creek is a small river in East Falkland. It is not a major watercourse, but is best known for its part in the Falklands War During the last hours of April 1, 1982, Argentinian marines led by Guillermo Sanchez-Sabarots, landed his squadron of special forces at Mullet Creek, and advanced on Stanley.[1] By 08.30 the battle was over and the Governor had ordered his ten Royal Marines (Navy Party 8901) to surrender.[2][3] The Royal Marines, the Governor and any others who wished it were shipped out to Britain.[4]

Falklands War

The Argentine operation codenamed Azul (blue),[5] began in the late evening of Thursday 1 April 1982 when the Argentine destroyer ARA Santisima Trinidad halted 500 metres off Mullet Creek and lowered 21 Gemini assault craft into the water.[6] They contained 84 special forces troopers[7] of Lieutenant-Commander Guillermo Sanchez-Sabarots' 1st Amphibious Commandos Group and a small party under Lieutenant-Commander Pedro Giachino, who was normally 2IC (second-in-command) of the 1st Marine Infantry Battalion, that was to capture Government House.[8]

Geography

Mullet Creek Stream rises between Two Sisters Mountain and Mount Tumbledown, and flows for 3 miles (4.8 km) towards Mullet Creek, an inlet that leads into Port Harriet.[9] The streams drains an area of around 12 square kilometres (4.5 mi2).[10] The watercourse flows through Pony's Pass Quarry, and although the worked out quarry areas have been considered for use as a landfill, the possibility of leachate from the landfill polluting the stream led to the idea being mothballed.[11] Where the Mullet Creek empties out in Port Harriet was considered to be a suitable location for new port facilities on East Falkland; however, the preferred site at Stanley harbour was chosen.[12] Where the stream crosses the main Stanley to Darwin road west of Pony's Pass Quarry, Mullet Creek is 7 miles (11 km) west of Stanley and 27 miles (43 km) east of Mount Pleasant.[13]

History

In March 1942, a Supermarine Walrus that was used for patrolling the islands at dawn and dusk crashed and overturned in Mullet Creek.[14] The land around Mullet Creek was primarily used for farming; the statistics for 1977-1987 show the owners of the farm there had over 1,400 sheep.[15] The land around Mullet Creek was heavily mined by the Argentines during the Falklands War.[16] The minefields at Mullet Creek were de-mined in 2012 and 2013 which released some of the shoreline around Mullet Creek and a stone corral into accessible land.[17][18]

References

  1. ↑ McManners, Hugh (1985). Falklands commando. London: Kimber. p. 13. ISBN 0718305329.
  2. ↑ "Falklands' first defenders honoured as memorial is unveiled to Royal Marines unit". www.royalnavy.mod.uk. 13 December 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
  3. ↑ "Valued exposure: Sir Rex Hunt". BBC News. 12 November 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
  4. ↑ Hughes-Wilson, John (1999). Military intelligence blunders. New York: Carroll & Graf. pp. 294–295. ISBN 0786707151. Despite a flurry of last-minute activity, briefings and warnings, on 2nd April 1982, Argentine marines landed at Mullett [sic] Creek on the south-east coast of East Falkland.
  5. ↑ Middlebrook, Martin (2012). The Falklands War. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen & Sword Military. p. 16. ISBN 9781848846364.
  6. ↑ Van der Bijl, Nicholas (2007). Victory in the Falklands: Falklands War. Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen & Sword. p. 17. ISBN 9781844154944.
  7. ↑ Busser, Carlos A. (1984). Operación Rosario. Buenos Aires: Editorial Atlántida. pp. 10–26. ISBN 9500803240. The force was composed of 76 Amphibious Commandos and 8 members of the Buzos Tácticos elite group.
  8. ↑ Naval Party 8901 And the Argentine Invasion (Britain's small wars) Archived 2006-10-10 at the Wayback Machine
  9. ↑ "Rivers and streams". falklands-southatlantic.com. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
  10. ↑ Rawlings, G. (1953). "A report on the water supply for the town of Port Stanley" (PDF). nationalarchives.gov.fk. p. 28. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
  11. ↑ "Waste Management Strategy Options" (PDF). www.assembly.gov.fk. September 2011. p. 7. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
  12. ↑ "New Port Facility Falkland Islands" (PDF). www.gov.fk. 2021. p. 17. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
  13. ↑ "Report by the Colonial Engineer dated 4th April 1930 on motor expedition to Darwin, in connection with proposed improvement to the tracks in the colony" (PDF). nationalarchives.gov.fk. 1930. p. 19. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  14. ↑ "Mullet Creek" (PDF). nationalarchives.gov.fk. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
  15. ↑ Report of the grasslands trial unit 1974-1979. Stanley: Grasslands Trial Unit. 1980. p. 42. OCLC 605422848.
  16. ↑ Faux, Ronald (2 November 1982). "The £1-an-acre Falklands minefield". The Times. No. 61378. p. 4. ISSN 0140-0460. One farmer at Mullet Creek had his land mined, and the Argentine Army reduced his house to nothing more than a chinmey stack.
  17. ↑ "Fifty experts are mine-clearing three areas next to Falklands' capital". MercoPress. 16 February 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
  18. ↑ "Falklands recover 370 hectares of Stanley Common made minefields in 1982 by Argentine forces". MercoPress. 17 May 2012. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
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