{{Short description|Small river in East Falkland, United Kingdom}} {{About|the creek in the Falkland Islands|the river in Wisconsin|Mullet River|the creek in Australia|Wondabyne, New South Wales|locality in Queensland|Mullett Creek, Queensland}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{coord|-51.72129|-57.89498|display=title|region:GB_scale:10000}} thumb|Map of the 1982 Argentine invasion, showing Mullet Creek '''Mullet Creek''' is a small river in East Falkland. It is not a major watercourse, but is best known for its part in the Falklands War On April 2, 1982, Argentinian marines led by Guillermo Sanchez-Sabarots, landed his squadron of special forces at Mullet Creek, and advanced on Stanley.<ref>{{cite book |last1=McManners |first1=Hugh |title=Falklands commando |date=1985 |publisher=Kimber |location=London |isbn=0718305329 |page=13}}</ref> By 08.30 the battle was over and the Governor had ordered his ten Royal Marines (Navy Party 8901) to surrender.<ref>{{cite news |title=Falklands’ first defenders honoured as memorial is unveiled to Royal Marines unit |url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news/2022/december/13/20221213-falklands-first-defenders-honoured-as-memorial-is-unveiled |access-date=13 May 2026 |work=www.royalnavy.mod.uk |date=13 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Valued exposure: Sir Rex Hunt |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-20294971 |access-date=13 May 2026 |work=BBC News |date=12 November 2012}}</ref> The Royal Marines, the Governor and any others who wished it were shipped out to Britain.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hughes-Wilson |first1=John |title=Military intelligence blunders |date=1999 |publisher=Carroll & Graf |location=New York |isbn=0786707151 |pages=294–295 |quote=Despite a flurry of last-minute activity, briefings and warnings, on 2nd April 1982, Argentine marines landed at {{sic|Mullett|nolink=y}} Creek on the south-east coast of East Falkland.}}</ref>
The Argentine operation codenamed ''Azul'' (blue),<ref>{{cite book |last1=Middlebrook |first1=Martin |title=The Falklands War |date=2012 |publisher=Pen & Sword Military |location=Barnsley, South Yorkshire |isbn=9781848846364 |page=16}}</ref> began in the late evening of Thursday 1 April 1982 when the Argentine destroyer ARA ''Santisima Trinidad '' halted 500 metres off Mullet Creek and lowered 21 Gemini assault craft into the water.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Van der Bijl |first1=Nicholas |title=Victory in the Falklands: Falklands War |date=2007 |publisher=Pen & Sword |location=Barnsley, South Yorkshire |isbn=9781844154944 |page=17}}</ref> They contained 84 special forces troopers<ref>{{cite book |last1=Busser |first1=Carlos A. |title=Operación Rosario |date=1984 |publisher=Editorial Atlántida |location=Buenos Aires |isbn=9500803240 |pages=10-26|quote=The force was composed of 76 Amphibious Commandos and 8 members of the ''Buzos Tácticos'' elite group.}}</ref> of Lieutenant-Commander Guillermo Sanchez-Sabarots' 1st Amphibious Commandos Group and a small party under Lieutenant-Commander Pedro Giachino, who was normally 2IC (second-in-command) of the 1st Marine Infantry Battalion, that was to capture Government House.<ref>[http://www.britains-smallwars.com/Falklands/NP8901.html#prof Naval Party 8901 And the Argentine Invasion (Britain's small wars)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061010080020/http://www.britains-smallwars.com/Falklands/NP8901.html |date=2006-10-10 }}</ref>
Mullet Creek Stream rises between Two Sisters Mountain and Mount Tumbledown, and flows for {{convert|3|mi}} towards Mullet Creek, an inlet that leads into Port Harriet.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rivers and streams |url=https://falklands-southatlantic.com/rivers%20and%20streams.html |website=falklands-southatlantic.com |access-date=11 May 2026}}</ref> The streams drains an area of around {{convert|4.5|mi2|order=flip}}.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rawlings |first1=G. |title=A report on the water supply for the town of Port Stanley |url=https://nationalarchives.gov.fk/jdownloads/Utilities%20-%20Fire%20Power%20and%20Water/R-UTI-WAT-1-1.%20A%20report%20on%20the%20water%20supply%20for%20the%20town%20of%20Port%20Stanley%20with%20recommendations%20for%20improvement%20and%20extension%20by%20G%20Rawlings%20Pape%20-%201952.pdf |website=nationalarchives.gov.fk |access-date=11 May 2026 |page=28 |date=1953}}</ref> The watercourse flows through Pony's Pass Quarry, and although the worked out quarry areas have been considered for use as a landfill, the possibility of leachate from the landfill polluting the stream led to the idea being mothballed.<ref>{{cite web |title=Waste Management Strategy Options |url=https://www.assembly.gov.fk/jdownloads/Executive%20Council/Executive%20Council%20Papers/2011/29%20September%202011/223-11P.pdf |website=www.assembly.gov.fk |access-date=11 May 2026 |page=7 |date=September 2011}}</ref> Where the Mullet Creek empties out in Port Harriet was considered to be a suitable location for new port facilities on East Falkland; however, the preferred site at Stanley harbour was chosen.<ref>{{cite web |title=New Port Facility Falkland Islands |url=https://www.gov.fk/commercialservices/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2026/02/Planning-statement.pdf |website=www.gov.fk |access-date=11 May 2026 |page=17 |date=2021}}</ref> Where the stream crosses the main Stanley to Darwin road west of Pony's Pass Quarry, Mullet Creek is {{convert|7|mi}} west of Stanley and {{convert|27|mi}} east of Mount Pleasant.<ref>{{cite web |title=Report by the Colonial Engineer dated 4th April 1930 on motor expedition to Darwin, in connection with proposed improvement to the tracks in the colony |url=https://nationalarchives.gov.fk/jdownloads/Communications%20-%20Land/TRN-LAN-2-17.%20Report%20by%20the%20Colonial%20Engineer%20dated%20the%204%20April%201930%20on%20motor%20expedition%20to%20Darwin%20in%20connection%20with%20proposed%20improvements%20to%20tracks%20in%20the%20Colony.pdf |website=nationalarchives.gov.fk |access-date=12 May 2026 |date=1930|page=19}}</ref>
In March 1942, a Supermarine Walrus that was used for patrolling the islands at dawn and dusk crashed and overturned in Mullet Creek.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mullet Creek |url=https://nationalarchives.gov.fk/jdownloads/Buildings%20and%20Land/East%20Falkland/Mullet%20Creek%20R.pdf |website=nationalarchives.gov.fk |access-date=11 May 2026}}</ref> The land around Mullet Creek was primarily used for farming; the statistics for 1977-1987 show the owners of the farm there had over 1,400 sheep.<ref>{{cite book |title=Report of the grasslands trial unit 1974-1979 |date=1980 |publisher=Grasslands Trial Unit |location=Stanley |page=42|oclc=605422848}}</ref> The land around Mullet Creek was heavily mined by the Argentines during the Falklands War.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Faux |first1=Ronald |title=The £1-an-acre Falklands minefield |work=The Times |issue=61378 |date=2 November 1982 |page=4 |quote=One farmer at Mullet Creek had his land mined, and the Argentine Army reduced his house to nothing more than a chinmey stack.|issn=0140-0460}}</ref> The minefields at Mullet Creek were de-mined in 2012 and 2013 which released some of the shoreline around Mullet Creek and a stone corral into accessible land.<ref>{{cite news |title=Fifty experts are mine-clearing three areas next to Falklands’ capital |url=https://en.mercopress.com/2013/02/16/fifty-experts-are-mine-clearing-three-areas-next-to-falklands-capital |access-date=12 May 2026 |work=MercoPress |date=16 February 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Falklands recover 370 hectares of Stanley Common made minefields in 1982 by Argentine forces |url=https://en.mercopress.com/2012/05/17/falklands-recover-370-hectares-of-stanley-common-made-minefields-in-1982-by-argentine-forces |access-date=12 May 2026 |work=MercoPress |date=17 May 2012}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
Category:Rivers of East Falkland