FALKLANDS - The Battle Twenty-Five Years On
Wharncliffe History Magazine, in association with Pen & Sword Military Books, has produced (just in time for the Falklands 25 commemorative events) a handy little (well actually it is 100 pages) booklet/magazine -
FALKLANDS - The Battle: Twenty Five years On.
The review copy was marked ?Exclusive to W H Smith? at a very reasonable price of ?6.99 and for the quality and quality of the production this represents value whilst at the same time the booklet/magazine provides a fine overview of the events of 1982 in the South Atlantic.
The text is set out in a series of chapters with much of the material extracted from published books. Thus we move through The Chronology of Events, The Political Problem, The Invasion by the Argentines, The Falkland Islanders at War: and thence through the War itself, Retaking South Georgia, The Task Force, The Pebble Island Attack and thus to the Infantry Battles across East Falkland with Goose Green the first to be covered.
The whole is accompanied by a set of very impressive (and for sailors) simple and clear maps by Jon Wilkinson who also produced the overall design and layout.
There are few quibbles: true the good old Red Plum ? HMS Endurance - has her picture reproduced twice, well the first time it is the later model which replaced the true Red Plum but this error seems to be a common fault not just unique to this publication.
Rick Jolly?s magnificent work at Ajax Bay would, of course, also have justly deserved a chapter of its own but the aim has not been, nor would have been possible in something of its size, to produce every detail of the Conflict.
However an article extracted from Nine Battles to Stanley by Nicholas van der Bijl records the events in the final stages at Cortley Hill (the Islanders would know it as Cautley after Captain Henry Cautley RE who arrived in Stanley on 20 August 1881 to report on the defensive capabilities of the Island!).
This section is part of that dealing with the Battles for Tumbledown and Wireless Hill which also is not able to address all the subsequent questioned actions of moving the Guards by LPD to Fitzroy. Included in what must be totally new to many is the very minor action in scope, if not bravery, when the little HMS Cordella (the fishing boat taken up from trade) entered Berkeley Sound on the night of 12 June with an SAS raiding party as part of the Wireless Ridge operation. Although the raid achieved little the Argentines later indicated it had shattered their own plans to insert Special Forces in the British rear areas. Nevertheless cast an eye to the proximity of Berkeley Sound to the main Argentine force and place yourself in imagination in a small, barely armed North Sea fishing boat in such close proximity to the main Argentine force. Wisely, certainly in the face of such determination by the Navy and the Special Forces, the enemy surrendered two days later.
The final chapter, and well covered, is another aspect often overlooked, that of the Repatriation of the Argentine POWs.
Overall a well produced booklet/magazine which can be well recommended.
FALKLANDS The Battle Twenty Five Years On.
Reviewed by The Webmaster
Retail Price ?6.99
Exclusive to W H Smith
ISBN 184415527-7
Contact: Pen & Sword
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