Deception Island incident
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| Deception Island incident | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United Kingdom |
 Argentina  Chile | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
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35 Royal Marines 2 frigates | 2 Argentinean sailors | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 2 prisoners | |||||||
The Deception Island incident took place in February 1953 when a group of British Royal Marines landed on Deception Island in Antarctica, took two Argentine sailors prisoner and destroyed an Argentine naval base. A nearby Chilean base was also destroyed.
Background
At the beginning of the 20th century, several countries began to express an interest in claiming portions of Antarctica for themselves. Chile was the first to do so in 1906 by issues a series of Congressional and Presidential decrees granting fishing rights to private business ventures and establishing its first Antarctic authorities; the Argentinean government protested these measures, and negotiations took place between both countries on how to divide the region between themselves, but a definitive agreement could not be reached.[1] In 1908, the United Kingdom issued Letters Patent, establishing its own claim to Antarctica.[1] Despite the fact that all three claims overlapped, the situation remained peaceful until 1943, when the United Kingdom launched Operation Tabarin to assert its claim to Antarctica and its outlying waters. For the next few years, British warships would patrol the region, destroying sovereignty markers left behind by both Chile and Argentina. Despite this, both Latin American countries continued to expand their presence in Antarctica, building more bases and temporary shelters.[2][3] In 1948, the Argentinean Navy established a permanent base on Deception Island, called Deception Station, garrisoned by ten men.[3]
The incident
On January 14th 1953, Argentinean ship ARA Chiriguano arrived to the island and unloaded men and supplies to build a second base named "Teniente Cándido de Lasala"[3] after a Navy officer who died in the British invasions of the River Plate.[4][5] The small base was garrisoned by five men- one officer (Liutenant Jorge D. Chihigaren[6]) three sailors and one geologist. British ship HMS Snipe (U20) arrived on the 19th and delivered a note of protest to the base, claiming that the Argentinians were trespassing on British territory. In response, ARA Punta Ninfas of the Argentinean Navy delivered a note to the Snipe claiming that it was the British who were trespassing.[7] On the 23rd, Chilean ships Lientur and Leucotón moored close by and began building their own base two-hundred meters west of the Lasala installation. They left on the 7th of February.[3][7]
On January 30th, the British Colonial Office sent a telegram to the Falkland Islands administration, saying: "Latest Argentinian and Chilean landings in Deception Island appear to be deliberately provocative, and ones we should not tolerate." and plans were made to send troops to the island. No warning was given to the Argentinian and Chilean governments to guarantee the element of surprise.[8] On the 15th of February, HMS Snipe returned to Deception, landing thirty-five Royal Marines on the island, supported by HMS Bigbury Bay (K606).[2] The marines were equipped with Sten guns, rifles, bayonets and tear gas.[8] They surrounded the Lasala base and took two sailors prisoner; the rest of the garrison was away visiting Deception Station. Before leaving, the marines set both the Argentinean and the Chilean bases on fire. Chilean personnel were not present at the time.[2] The next morning, Lt. Chihigaren returned from Deception station and found it destroyed.[3]
Aftermath
Argentinean President Juan Perón was visiting Chile when news of the attack reached the continent. Together with Chilean President Carlos Ibáñez del Campo, they issued a strong protest to the British embassy, demanding an apology, and discussed a possible joint response. On the 18th of February, the two prisoners taken from the Lasala base were released.[2] Several ships were sent to Deception to protect the remaining Argentinean base on the island, such as ARA Bahía Aguirre, ARA Bahía Buen Suceso, ARA Chiriguano and ARA Sanavirón.[3] Avro Lincoln bombers of the Argentinean Air Force also overflew the area.[3]
On December 30th, the Argentinean Navy rebuilt the base. It was used by the Naval Hydrographic Service for a few years before being abandoned. A volcanic eruption destroyed it in 1967.[9][10] The Chilean base was rebuilt in 1954.[7]
The island, like the rest of Antarctica, is currently administered under the Antarctic Treaty System, pausing all territorial claims.
See also
References
- ^ a b Mancilla González, Pablo (2012). "CERTAIN ANTECEDENTS OF THE CHILEAN ANTARCTIC POLICY, 1892-1917". Hemispheric & Polar Studies Journal. 3 (3): 143, 144, 145.
- ^ a b c d Fontana, Gabriel (2021). "THE 'ANTARCTIC PROBLEM' AND THE ANTARCTIC TREATY: GENESIS OF AN INCONCLUSIVE DENOUEMENT". Hemispheric & Polar Studies Journal. 12 (1): 28, 30, 31.
- ^ a b c d e f g Fontana, Pablo Gabriel (2023). "The arrival of the Polar Forces: The Permanent Installation of the Argentine Armed Forces in Antarctica During the First Peronism (1946-1955)". Defensa Nacional (8): 117, 120, 127, 128.
- ^ Balmaceda, Daniel (2020). "Invasiones Inglesas: la sobrina que perdió al tío con quien iba a casarse".
- ^ José R. Bamio & Raúl Dárrichon, Argentine Navy, Efemérides Navales, 2014. Pg 22
- ^ Pierrou, Enrique Jorge (1981). La Armada Argentina en la Antártida. Instituto de Publicaciones Navales. p. 981.
- ^ a b c Fontana, Pablo Gabriel (2021). "ARGENTINA Y EL CAMBIO DE RUMBO ANTÁRTICO EN LOS AÑOS 1950s". Antártica en la década del 50: Perspectivas desde el Cono Sur. LW EDITORIAL: 131, 132, 133.
- ^ a b Armstrong, Patrick; Forbes, Vivian (1997). "The Falkland Islands and their Adjacent Maritime Area". Maritime Briefing. 2 (3): 10.
- ^ SCIENTIFIC STATIONS IN ANTARCTICA 1882-1963. DUBROVIN, L.I. V.N. PETR0V, 1967, pp. 87
- ^ Boletin del Instituto Antártico Argentino. 1957. p. 20.