In the Falklands with 2 Para

Join Lieutenant Colonel Philip Neame as he shares what it was like to serve as a company commander during the Falklands War.

2nd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment – also known as 2 Para – was the only land force unit to fight in two battles during the Falklands War (1982).

One of these was Goose Green, the first major land engagement of the war, which saw the commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel ‘H’ Jones, killed and awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross. The other was Wireless Ridge, which took place on the last night of the conflict and ended in the collapse of the Argentine Army.

Goose Green has since elicited much speculation. Was the plan flawed? Was the death of ‘H’ Jones avoidable? Did the battle need to be fought at all?

What was the mood of the battalion, weakened by many casualties, when it was committed to another battle at Wireless Ridge – under a new commanding officer?

And how did D Company – the third rifle company in 2 Para – come to terms in the closing moments, as they prepared to take the final objective of the war, with a horrific artillery barrage – from their own guns?

Philip Neame was in command of D Company during the Falklands War. In this talk, he will explore these questions and share his experiences of serving during the conflict.

Lieutenant Colonel Philip Neame MBE served for six years in the RAF Regiment and 20 years in the Parachute Regiment, leaving as a lieutenant colonel in 1994, shortly after commanding a TA battalion based in London.

He saw service in Oman during the Dhofar War in the early 1970s, Northern Ireland, and with Special Forces. In 1982, Phil led his company through a number of engagements against Argentinian forces during the Falklands War, at both the battles of Goose Green and Wireless Ridge, and was Mentioned in Despatches.

He is a member of the Alpine Club and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. A keen mountaineer, he has climbed Mount Everest and founded the Ulysses Trust which supports members of the Volunteer Reserve and cadet forces to undertake expeditions.