War in the Falklands. Through the Eyes of the British and Argentine Soldiers Who Fought There.

[pardus]

A really good personal look at the war from those that fought it. Nice to see the Argies included in this.

 

[pardus]

I have downloaded Commander Rick Jolly's book, really looking forward to reading that. I really admire him from what I know so far.

 

[DA SWO]

I have downloaded Commander Rick Jolly's book, really looking forward to reading that. I really admire him from what I know so far.

Which book is that?

 

[pardus]

Which book is that?

Doctor For Friend and Foe: Britain's Frontline Medic in the Fight for the Falklands
ISBN-10: 9781844861545

 

[DA SWO]

Doctor For Friend and Foe: Britain's Frontline Medic in the Fight for the Falklands
ISBN-10: 9781844861545

I'll look for it.

I downloaded Special Forces Pilot by Richard Hutchings, really recommend it.

 

[SpitfireV]

I'll look for it.

I downloaded Special Forces Pilot by Richard Hutchings, really recommend it.

I've just ordered that and another one called Scram about the Marine pilots there. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[DA SWO]

I've just ordered that and another one called Scram about the Marine pilots there. Thanks for the heads up.

Who is the author of Scram?
Falklands was a "medium" war that has become forgotten by many.
This was the first time I actually paid attention to world events (was in college), I think the Falklands will also go down as the first "media" war too.

 

[SpitfireV]

Who is the author of Scram?
Falklands was a "medium" war that has become forgotten by many.
This was the first time I actually paid attention to world events (was in college), I think the Falklands will also go down as the first "media" war too.

Harry Benson*. The aviation side of things is often forgotten so it's good to see some books come out about it. The ground troops (rightly) get a lot of attention but I think people forget that the pilots themselves did some incredibly brave things. Prince Andrew served as a helo pilot for RN there too.

The territories of the Falkland Islands, which are a British overseas territory but are claimed by Argentina, were invaded by Argentina on 2 April 1982, an event that instigated the Falklands War. Invincible was one of the two operational aircraft carriers available at the time, and, as such, was to play a major role in the Royal Navy task force assembled to sail south to retake the islands. However, Prince Andrew's place on board and the possibility of The Queen's son being killed in action made the British Government apprehensive, and the Cabinet desired that Prince Andrew be moved to a desk job for the duration of the conflict. The Queen, though, insisted that her son be allowed to remain with his ship, meaning Prince Andrew remained on board Invincible to serve as a Sea King helicopter co-pilot, flying on missions that included anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare, Exocet missile decoy, casualty evacuation, transport, and search and air rescue. He witnessed the Argentinian attack on the SS Atlantic Conveyor, and was one of the first to take off survivors.[3]

At the cessation of the war, Invincible returned to Portsmouth, where The Queen and Prince Philip joined other families of the crew in welcoming the vessel home, after which Prince Andrew laid a wreath at the Cenotaph each year on Remembrance Sunday to commemorate the South Atlantic campaign. The Argentinean military government reportedly planned, but did not attempt, to assassinate the prince on Mustique in July 1982.[4] Though he had brief assignments to HMS Illustrious, RNAS Culdrose, and the Joint Services School of Intelligence, Prince Andrew remained with Invincible until 1983. In Commander Nigel Ward's book, Sea Harrier Over the Falklands, Prince Andrew was described as "an excellent pilot and a very promising officer". He was decorated for his service in the Falklands.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1848093624/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[AWP]

An interesting bit of Falklands trivia I stumbled across...

http://maic.jmu.edu/journal/13.1/editorials/keeley/keeley.htm

This Falklands-Malvinas Islands minefield is a sanctuary for penguins. The birds’ ground-bearing pressure is insufficient to set off the mines, and their predators are too big to enter the minefield.

 

[racing_kitty]

An interesting bit of Falklands trivia I stumbled across...

That's pretty cool.

 

[pardus]

I'll look for it.

I downloaded Special Forces Pilot by Richard Hutchings, really recommend it.

I just downloaded this as well. Thanks.

 

[Short Round]

Interesting that rifleman on both sides fought primarily with the FAL. Although I believe that the British L1A1 was slightly different in that it did not fire on full automatic.

 

[pardus]

Interesting that rifleman on both sides fought primarily with the FAL. Although I believe that the British L1A1 was slightly different in that it did not fire on full automatic.

Correct. The Argies also had a folding stock version. Both sides used FN MAGs and Browing 50cal MGs as well, and IIRC the same pistol, Browning Hi-Power.

 

[SpitfireV]

That SF Pilot book has arrived, been reading it this arvo. Looking to be quite good. Interesting time for SF support flying back then, TF160 happened around the same time- it would be interesting to compare the training and employment of 7Sqn/Commando pilots and TF160 at the time.

 

[Viper1]

Pardus, wonderful videos. Thank you for posting. I especially enjoyed the first video about the Royal Navy. Incredible use of aggressiveness striking the Argentinian ships first. I am looking forward to studying this conflict more in depth. We didn't get much instruction on it at USMA.

 

[pardus]

Pardus, wonderful videos. Thank you for posting. I especially enjoyed the first video about the Royal Navy. Incredible use of aggressiveness striking the Argentinian ships first. I am looking forward to studying this conflict more in depth. We didn't get much instruction on it at USMA.

Glad you liked it. It is a fascinating campaign. Thankfully there are now a lot of good books on the campaign, both historical studies and more interesting to me, personal stories.

Even rumors of American mercenaries fighting for the Argies

 

[SpitfireV]

I've just done a bit of googling and it seems that was a rumour from very very early after the war ended and the MOD denied it in 82 or 83. Argentinians are saying there weren't any supposedly, I don't think it would matter these days if (assuming it's true) if it were kept secret anymore. From the very quick research I've done I would say it was unlikely but with that said the genesis of the rumour is interesting.

 

[pardus]

I've just done a bit of googling and it seems that was a rumour from very very early after the war ended and the MOD denied it in 82 or 83. Argentinians are saying there weren't any supposedly, I don't think it would matter these days if (assuming it's true) if it were kept secret anymore. From the very quick research I've done I would say it was unlikely but with that said the genesis of the rumour is interesting.

This was written in a book that a Para wrote. He witnessed it personally and his mate was personally threatened by MI5/6 after the war to keep his mouth shut. The Americans were supposedly executed, on order from London (and IIRC in collusion with Washington) in order to stop an international incident.

Or so he says...

 

[SpitfireV]

This was written in a book that a Para wrote. He witnessed it personally and his mate was personally threatened by MI5/6 after the war to keep his mouth shut. The Americans were supposedly executed, on order from London (and IIRC in collusion with Washington) in order to stop an international incident.

Or so he says...

Yeah I read that (the mention of it from his book, not the book itself) but it does make me wonder. I mean, look at the sinking of that cruiser Belgrano- that was a legitimate target and the outcry that still occasionally pops up. I think if this had happened then the Argentinian soldiers would have said something by now; there's no reason for them not to. I did read about a guy who had a US father/AR mother/born in NYC who wanted to fight for his "homeland" but I can't corroborate that.

And anyway, the Argentinians were quite well trained anyway weren't they? Would they have need of mercs?

 

[pardus]

To be clear, I'm highly sceptical of the story. That said, this is war, lots of things are unexplainable.
The Belgrano was outside the 200ml exclusion zone which is why there is some controversy behind the decision to sink it.

Argentina was a conscript army, some well trained, professional units and a lot of unwilling (yet brave) Soldiers.
The Argentine Junta was desperate at the time, hence the invasion itself. Nothing would surprise me, but again, I'm pretty sceptical.

A little known fact is that the British pondered the idea of launching a Trident (?) missile, without a nuclear payload, into the center of Buenos Aries as a rather obvious declaration of Britain's determination with regards to the Falklands.