WesWorld

Noticias Argentinas

July 6
Given the political situation the Comodoro Rividavia branch of the General Shipbuilders and Ironworkers Union at the Tandanor yard have agreed to return to work. This has enabled work on the P5 submarine to resume and the blackleg labour is now completing the Libertad refit.

July 28
The Ministry of Transport have announced today that a navigation radio beacon has been set-up in the Cristo Redemptor Pass high up in the Andes mountain range to enable pilots to fly over the Andes on a planned air mail route to Chile. Posta Argentina will begin a trial service for evaluation using Junkers Ju 52 tri-motor airliners shortly. If these route proving trips work then the way may be opened to passenger flights to Chile. The crew will be using on-board oxygen and special cabin heaters to make the journey more comfortable and safer.

Aug 6
Some seven miles west of the city of Paraguari the Bicycle Reconnaissance Company of the I Division was making a sweep of the area ahead of the main Argentine positions on the western end of the pocket trapping some 6,000 Paraguayan Government Troops when they were attacked and overrun by three Paraguayan tanks. Believed to be Vickers 6 ton tanks they advanced some seven miles with infantry support before returning northwards. The Bicycle Reconnaissance Company formed a defensive position but the tanks raked them with machine gun fire before using HE shells to drive the men back. As they fled they were cut down by Paraguayan machine guns further back and one tank decorated with a leaping Jaguar on the turret ran down several men under its tracks. The mapping platoon of the division was also attacked but they fled with minimal casualties. Further south 1103 Company (First Company of the 103 Regiment) was also attacked by the tanks with HE and machine gun fire and the position had to be evacuated. While General Jose Serra Aznar has dismissed the threat as a one off attack frontline commanders are calling for the Divisional Anti-Tank Companies to be equipped and extra anti-tank guns brought.

Aug 17
Tank Company No1 has been deployed to Paraguay in response to calls for armoured protection by commanders in the northern sector of the demilitarised zone. Twelve T-1M31 (Vickers E copies) are now in the area and will patrol likely areas suitable for tank combat. Limited infantry support missions will also be carried out as Argentine forces close in nearer to the rebel positions near Caacupe.

Aug 20
The submarine San Rafael was launched today at the Tandanor Yard at Comodoro Rividavia.

Aug 29
General Jose Serra Aznar in a press conference today declared Phase One of the creation of the demilitarised zone complete. 102 and 203 Regiments have now cut the Paraguayan government force's supply lines from Asunción to the pocket of troops now trapped further east which still threatens the rebel movement in the Department of Caazapa in the east. Pilar is now safe and there is no longer any threat from Paraguayan government forces. 103 and 102 Regiments are now also in the area to the east to seal off the new demilitarised border. The rebel units there have been disarmed and several bands have disbanded. In the south west 201 and 202 Regiments are patrolling the eastern border of the Department of Neembucu and are making preparations to intervene in the neighbouring Department of Misiones along the Rio Parana if the situation gets any worse although reports indicate the rebels are holding on. Elements of I and II Divisional Artillery have also deployed along the zone border.

What sort of beacon? A radio beacon which you find with RDF or a big burning pile on top of a hill?

Noticias Argentinas

Sept 9
Fabrica Militar de Aviones today confirmed that an order for several evaluation I-100 Barron fighters has been received from Japan. Four standard ex-Argentine air force I-100 fighters without armament and two new-build I-100A fighters will be supplied to the IJAAF for engineering trials and combat evaluation.

Sept 14
The General Shipbuilders and Ironworkers Union have agreed to return to work for the national good to show its support to the armed forces and people of Argentina. It stresses this is a temporary move until government reassurances are carried out. The government still refuses to reverse its decision over the deployment of forces in Paraguay despite the recent SAE objections. The union has lost an important battle losing political support from the United Social Workers Party, because of the union's harsh action, and the general public at large.

Sept 15
The San Francisco Talks begin in America and Argentina has decided to send a delegation in order to try and limit the naval power of several potential enemies whilst also gaining a level playing field in South America. Almirante Bendedicto and Contra Almirante Bouchard are the representatives, the battleship Capitan Gascon and the light cruiser General San Martin are in the harbour flying the flag for our nation.

Sept 21
The Ministry of Defence denies that any Argentinean troops have attacked an RSAF aircraft in Eastern Paraguay and deny that any troops in the area, which is deep inside rebel-held territory. South African claims the suspected Argentine troops were in a convoy supplying arms to rebel units close to the Grand Uruguayan border are also denied.

Sept 23
The battleship and Flagship of the Fleet Libertad today commenced its post-refit trials. Many naval enthusiasts gathered at the quay to witness the event and many comments were made on the new imposing superstructure of the ship.

Sept 30
Cables home from the San Francisco talks are not very encouraging. After Almirante Benedicto suggested a basis of a new treaty most nations seemed to be satisfied with elements and for a time it appeared a deal may have been done. However sticking points over battleship tonnage allocations, jingoism and the sheer offensiveness of some nations has brought the talks to a standstill. Japan has walked away from the table and as no other major power would sign under these conditions there would be no point in Argentina, or any other South American nation signing such a worthless document. Hopes are still high, however of a new Treaty covering submarines.


Extract from 'Bullets for Money: The Story of a Mercenary' by Colonel Faulkner, Sword and Rifle Publishing 1974

I had returned from London and met up with Lieutenant Shaun Fynn for another job in Paraguay. This time we were to deliver arms and supplies to the Paraguayan Anti-Government Front (UPAF). We began training with some of the survivors from the earlier rescue attempt and we had another thirty Paraguayans recruited from the refugee camps, all had been soldiers previously. We began our first trips during late June 1934 without too much hassle. All changed during one of our trips during mid-September with a platoon of Argentine troops attached. Cpl. On the second day, the 21st, Tosh and Lieut. Fynn were in the lead truck and I was in the last truck in a convoy of five trucks. We were some ten miles south of San Ygnacio about thirty miles north of the SAE border. The sky was clear and a few fluffy clouds hung around further south. We had just left the tree line and the trucks drove onto a little plain exposed without any cover. We tried to dash across but Cpl. Tosh hit a stump and ripped the forward left wheel off the bearing. The convoy lurched to a halt. I got the men off the trucks and they began shoving the truck off the road while shifting the stores to other the trucks. After some five minutes we heard an aircraft approaching. Was it friendly? We knew the Paraguayan government forces had some aircraft left and as it approached low from the west we took no chances and readied the Vickers in the back of the third truck. As it roared overhead quite close to us we opened fire. It had taken a good look at us and the type was not one I recognised in Paraguayan or Argentine service. It came back for a strafing run and about six men were cut down. Thompson's against aircraft were useless, two small silver objects left the bomber as it made a third pass, the second truck exploded and a jet of flame burnt into the third truck which also exploded. "Oh Jesus Christ!" Tosh exclaimed, "Not even Christ could get through that lot alive," replied Shaun. As the aircraft climbed and turned southward we counted the dead and wounded. Ten killed and seven seriously wounded, four of the dead were Argentinean. With the two remaining trucks we turned back and headed for the Argentine lines. One of the soldiers had seen the South African markings on the last bombing run, the Argentine Officer decided to lodge a complaint bemoaning South African unprovoked aggression against an Argentine aid column. Back at base we changed into Argentine uniform and melded back into the anonymous military life. We were never there.

Noticias Argentinas

Sept 16
The latest aid convoy to Paraguay has been attacked by mortars and machine guns. The convoy of three freighters and a tugboat with two barques in tow was escorted by the Argentine gunboat Patria and two RSAN river gunboats. The R20 was quickly hit and sinking but the brave skipper of the Patria managed to turn in the narrow waters and put his ship between the shore and the damaged R19, the crew desperately tried to pick up survivors as she sailed past but only four were picked up. Only one freighter was lost. Attempts to contain the damage aboard the Patria failed and she had to be beached not far from Formosa. The Navy has pledged to send more vessels into the area and get Patria operational as soon as possible. This action has unpleasant reminders of the Parana incident in March. That vessel still is un-repaired and the Navy is short of gunboats for escort duty. Troops not far from the area will be sent to investigate and patrol the area. It is clear the region is not as secure as the military planners hoped.

Sept 22
Today elements of the 102 Regiment sent to destroy suspected Paraguayan loyalist positions along the Rio Paraguay were fired upon by forward elements of the RSAA. A series of confused clashes in the jungle undergrowth raged for several hours until troops from both sides finally identified themselves. The Captain in charge immediately returned to his base with several seriously wounded men and at least twenty dead. On his return he made a report to his divisional commander who, it is believed made a full report to the Ministry Of Defence. It is understood that closer co-operation has been called for in future operations.

Meanwhile some in the Ministry are concerned with the westward advance of South African forces and reports in the press have been strongly anti-SAE. Ugly rumours and "theories" stirred up in the popular press claim the events of the 16th, which began this whole episode, as an African trick. Some believe the SAE were actually responsible for firing on the Patria as an excuse to bring troops into the area and to further help the corrupt Diaz regime. Some also say the mortars used were supplied by the RSAA. The government does not believe these rumours but the public seems ready to accept these stories and overnight the anti-war movement is losing support and many call for our boys to stay in Paraguay. Even to go further east and, in the words of one editor, "kick the African Imperialists out."