The Odyssey of the 4th Section (Part 5)

This account tells the story of the creation and struggle of the legendary 4th Section of Company Nácar of BIM 5.

—“Sir, this is Lieutenant Vázquez,” he said with anguish. Captain Robacio replied:
—“Lieutenant, we’ve been trying to contact you. The weight of the battle is centred on your Section. What do you need to finish them off?”
—“Sir! Fire the howitzers on us!”

The request meant being shelled by their own artillery — no less than 105 mm guns, the largest available, capable of destroying foxholes. Either way, they would not come out alive. Robacio moved the receiver from his ear and hesitated for a moment.
—“But Vázquez…”
—“Sir, please, fire right now. This is unsustainable.”
—“Very well, I’ll do it. Stay on the line.”

Turning to his aide, Robacio ordered:
—“Open fire with the 105s on Lieutenant Vázquez’s positions immediately. Quickly.”

The first shot landed 500 metres off target. The island’s soft soil and the strain placed on the artillery had knocked the guns out of calibration.
—“Sir, correction: add 900, right 500,” cried Vázquez. Normally, such an adjustment would be impossible. Robacio whispered, covering the handset:
—“This poor lad must be losing it…”

But Vázquez was not mad. The shot really had fallen far. As the second round delayed, he shouted desperately:
—“What are you waiting for? Fire! Fire! They’re tearing us apart!”

The second round was again long, far from target.
—“Bloody useless gunners! Stick the guns up your arses!” Vázquez was screaming at none other than his commander. Death for him and his men seemed certain.

At last the third shell hit the Section.
—“Good! That’s it! That’s it!” he cried over the radio.
—“Alright, son. Try to hold on,” replied Robacio, aware of the ordeal his men were enduring.

From then on, the 105 mm shells battered the position. Robacio contacted Puerto Argentino, requesting reinforcements. He could not withdraw men from his other companies without opening a corridor the British would exploit — something he knew all too well. But headquarters delayed. Frustrated, he snapped:
—“Drag out all the rats hiding there and send them forward. Tonight the moor will finish the British!”

Back at the 4th Section, the shelling slowed but did not halt the attack. At 05:00, Vázquez again demanded reinforcements. A counterattack from RI-6 failed to reach him. He relied instead on 81 mm mortar fire from NCO Cuñé, whose repeated strikes hampered the British advance despite being targeted by a frigate and enemy 120 mm mortars. Cuñé and his conscripts used timing and precision to fire in sync with naval bombardments, masking their positions.

By 05:30, Vázquez had lost effective control. Each foxhole fought alone. What was once the 4th Section — reinforced by RI-4 soldiers — was reduced to some twenty men, running out of ammunition. Their only options: hide and pray, or fix bayonets.

The British gradually overran the remaining foxholes, killing or capturing defenders. Notably, they took prisoners when possible, sparing lives under extreme circumstances.

By 07:00, still night-dark, only three foxholes resisted: Vázquez’s and one on each flank. Ammunition was gone. Some surrendered, some lay dead. Desperate, Vázquez radioed Robacio, crying:
—“Sir, where are the reinforcements? We have no more ammunition. My men do not fight, they do not answer my orders. I don’t know if they are alive or dead…”

It was the grim truth. He no longer knew if his soldiers refused to fight, lacked ammunition, or had already fallen.