Gavin Hamilton

The Argentine commando patrol commander from the engagement, José Martiniano Duarte, met Hamilton's wife (Vicky Hamilton) in 2002 at the Argentinian Embassy in London, expressing his personal regret for the events that had occurred at Many Branch Point 20 years before that had claimed her husband's life, and praising his bravery.

Once British ground forces had landed at San Carlos, Hamilton deployed with his SAS Squadron 40 miles behind the enemy lines to observe the main enemy defensive positions at Port Stanley, his leadership proving instrumental in seizing this ground, from which the final attack on Port Stanley, which would bring the war of liberation of the Falklands to a victorious conclusion, would ultimately be launched. On 27 May 1982 he identified an Argentine probe into the squadron's position and in the ensuing fight captured an Argentinian prisoner of war. The next night his troop held off another enemy attack, in doing so enabling 42 Commando Royal Marines to fly in to reinforce the position on 31 May 1982, which was a key stage in the Falkland Islands campaign. On the following day his troop ambushed another Argentinian patrol, capturing five members of it, three of whom were wounded.

On 5 June 1982 Hamilton was deployed in command of a four-man observation patrol into positions behind enemy lines on West Falkland to observe Argentinian activity at Port Howard. The patrol established itself in an observation post on the high ground of a ridge called Many Branch Point 2,750 yards (2,500 metres) from the Argentine positions, from which radio reports were dispatched. In the late morning of 10 June 1982, Hamilton and a radio operator (Cpl. Roy Fonseka) were manning the post when they were discovered by a four-man Argentinian patrol from the 1st Section of the 601 Commando Company, operating out of Port Howard. Fonseka first engaged the enemy force in the open, followed by Hamilton from the post itself. As the small arms fire-fight continued with grenades being exchanged, during which Hamilton was hit in the arm by a rifle bullet, Hamilton ordered that they should both attempt to fight their way out. As the only withdrawal route available was to the rear, and was exposed to enemy observation on the up slope of the ridge for 50 yards to the summit, Hamilton maintained automatic covering fire from within the post at the Argentinian commandos to allow Fonseka to withdraw first in a co-ordinated fall-back manoeuvre. Hamilton then attempted to follow, in the process was struck by Argentinian rifle fire and killed, Fonseka being afterwards taken prisoner of war.

Gavin John Hamilton, MC (15 May 1953 – 10 June 1982) was a British Army infantry soldier. He was the Officer Commanding 19 (Mountain) Troop, D Squadron, 22 Special Air Service during the Falklands War when he was killed in action behind enemy lines on West Falkland.