The Falklands War

Discussion in 'Postwar' started by Drew5233, Nov 26, 2009.

  1. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    Absolutely, James, and well said.
     
  2. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

    Fair comment Adam , James, im willing.
     
  3. Gerard

    Gerard Seelow/Prora

    Can we try again gents , if some of the men who fought in the Falklands / Malvinas can talk what is the problem here ?
    (If anyone needs proof of this put a few quid into that ATB book. )
    After all Martin Middlebrook visited Argentina and wrote the war from the Argentine's point of view , shall we try again ..........
    Hear Hear! Lets try and talk about this in a rational way.
     
  4. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    I remember when the Falklands war was over there was an immediate "rash" of books out , the quality of which varied greatly.
    I must confess I bought some but was not impressed with most of what appeared "cashing in" was what it seemed like - the better accounts and more important histories appeared later.

    Starkey Ward's and Max Hasting's books are somewhere in storage at the moment , these are what I can find at this moment in time.

    Middlebrook , Brown , Ethnell /Price , and the book on "The Air War" (very much a reference book) impressed me most.
    "Through Fire and Water" ( HMS Ardent) I have yet to read and want to when I have peace and time - it is I feel one which may deserve that.
    "Four Weeks In May" (A Captains view of the loss of HMS Coventry) - this is a really good read - you can feel for the man.

    Sorry for the jpegs gents but trying to type out the titles was driving my head astray.

    Of all the images of the war the concentrated attacks at San Carlos , the tragic ( but very daring attack by AAF) on Sir G. and Sir T at Bluff Cove , the burial of the paratroopers following Goose Green are the images which last.
    The exploding HMS Antelope , the burning Ardent , striken Sheffield - the burned and injured being ferried back to the two carriers - war is no joke , it is not tea time entertainment ,Brian Hanrahan's "I counted them all out and I counted them all back" went some way towards telling it as it happened.
    Controlling information was part of the war - was it true that the BBC announced the intention to attack Goose Green ?

    ON THIS DAY | Correspondents | Brian Hanrahan

    "The Red and Green Life Machine" is one which should be read , the injured from all sides were treated equally and sadly the lessons learned in treating the wounded in Northern Ireland was put to good use here - the Argentine doctors were not as "up to speed" as the British surgeons and the " re treated" many Argentine wounded saving life and limb as they did so.

    This is a book which really should be read , also Simon Weston's "Moving on"..... which brings us back to this thread - can we move it on and leave the war of words a few pages back ?
     

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  5. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

  6. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    I found 'Nine Battles to Stanley' very interesting. It was quite detailed regading Argentinian Orbats and covered some of the allegations that came from the war like Lieutenant Colonel Jones being shot by one of his own (he was well liked) and the suggestion that American mercenaries were on one of the mountains sniping at the Paras (Not sure now of the Mt. and unit). The men were 'allegedly' captured, shot and thrown off the mountain.

    The authors name escapes me but I believe he was Int Corps and part of the Gib Garrison. A lot of the Gib Regiment were transferred to UK units to act as translaters.

    A
     
  7. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Noticed this lurking on Idler's bookshelves, as well as my own.
    [​IMG]

    Anyone else spend their pocket money on it week by week at the time? ;)
    (1983 is the date inside the covers, 'Day by day from Invasion to victory in 14 weekly parts', the only time I ever bought all of a part-work).

    The only 'proper' book I've read on the Falklands is Hastings's. And it seems that's a bit controversial these days?
     
    Owen likes this.
  8. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Mine is in the loft ,I think.
    I loved the artwork on backcover by Kevin Lyles.
     
  9. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Those back cover pictures were why I bought it... :unsure:
    Proto-nerds eh.
     
  10. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    Owen
    Anyone else spend their pocket money on it week by week at the time?

    Guilty as charged. ;)

    I recall seeing some guys on one of the two carriers who put their own words to "Don't Cry for me Argentina".
    "Don't Cry for me Argentina,
    The truth is we will defeat you,
    With our Sea Harrier, we'll **** your carrier........."

    What galled me was Maggie Thatcher ....massive cuts in the armed forces but then she " rejoices" when Grytviken was recaptured HM government left the HM forces out on a limb.
     
  11. wtid45

    wtid45 Very Senior Member

    Having seen James, book pics above will have to post my Falklands books when I finish sorting out the mess that Owen so liked in the bookcase thread:D
     
  12. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Hot air manufacturer

    What back cover pictures? Please? Pretty please? :)

    I have a few Osprey books only and a series in Military Modelling in 1982. That was almost 30 years ago, can you believe it? And people are still smarting about it!
     
  13. idler

    idler GeneralList

    Noticed this lurking on Idler's bookshelves, as well as my own.

    Glad you knew where it was. Mine's actually a fairly recent acquisition from a library booksale. It's almost mint - much better than if I'd actually bought it. Salvaged a copy of Woodward's One Hundred Days and an accompanying book on the RN in the 80s from certain doom in a drippy container at a car boot sale on Sunday for 50p each. Need a bit of an airing, though.

    If I had to recommend one Falklands book, I think I'd go for the Adkin Goose Green (Marshall Cavendish Falklands War - 7 o'clock - next shelf down).
     
  14. idler

    idler GeneralList

    What back cover pictures? Please? Pretty please? :)

    A write-up of a particular unit with an accompanying Osprey-like uniform illustration. Nothing like what they used to put on the back of Soldier magazine in pre-PC days, IIRC.
     
  15. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Hot air manufacturer

    My curiosity was piqued by your second period... ;)
     
  16. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    massive cuts in the armed forces but then she " rejoices" when Grytviken was recaptured HM government left the HM forces out on a limb.

    Didn't Healey bear some of the contemporary criticism?
    Something about him being defence secretary when aluminium (cheaper, but more likely to burn) was specified for some of the ships being laid down in his time. Ships that eventually went southwards?
     
  17. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    Some art work from the different sides , Ardent under attack and Robert Taylor's task Force" - I got a copy of this from a gent in the US via "Wehrmacht Awards" for next to nothing , just looking at it now . :)
     

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  18. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    I realise that there's been a whole thread here with no mention of Norton motorcycles. I'll have to do something about that !:)

    This is a link to a page on Rob van den Brink's Norton 16H site relating to the son of a WW2 DR who was in the Falklands with 2 Para and found a 16H there which he subsequently brought 'home'

    Jack Bullock

    Rich
     
  19. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Guilty as charged. ;)

    I recall seeing some guys on one of the two carriers who put their own words to "Don't Cry for me Argentina".
    "Don't Cry for me Argentina,
    The truth is we will defeat you,
    With our Sea Harrier, we'll **** your carrier........."

    .


    Ditto :D

    The song was (I can still remember singing it - No I didn't go South :lol:):

    'Don't cry for me Argentina,
    The truth is you'll never beat us,
    We'll sink your Carrier, with our Sea Harrier,
    And Submarines will be sinking,
    With our Sea Kings........'
     
  20. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    Owen
    Didn't Healey bear some of the criticism though?
    Something about him being defence secretary when aluminium (cheaper, but more likely to burn) was specified for some of the ships being laid down in his time. Ships that eventually went southwards?


    I do think you may be right on this one , Maggie had sold off almost everything , Hermes had to be taken out of the breakers yard and made ready for sea , Andy told me that Ark Royal went to sea on one engine , the two assault ships were up for sale and it was very much a case of " we will go with what we have got".
     

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