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Falklands War; Recommended Reading
By Lt Col P
I have a short reading list below, four book that I think are not only well written and authoritative, but when read as a set paint a reasonably complete picture of the whole conflict, from the strategic to the tactical.
But before I list them, let me address one other issue. The Royal Navy and Royal Marines, with whom we have stood and fought side by side for many years now, are taking it on the chin over the mess with Iran. Lots of bloggers have pointed out that they should have fought it out (correct), that Nelson is probably spinning in his grave (correct), and that the UK today probably couldn't mount another Falklands op independently (correct, unfortunately). I don't want to pile on, but would rather send this note to them: We need you in the fight, because the list of the able and the willing is short indeed. So let's take our lumps, boys, and resolve to get back in action. Your fellow Marines of Naval Party 8901 fought like hell on the Falklands, and even more so on South Georgia where they nearly pulled off a mini Wake Island, with a true Nelsonian Royal Navy captain alongside them.
Now the reading list.
The Battle for the Falklands (Hastings & Jenkins). This is the first and still probably the best, an A to Z view of the war, its origins and conduct. I have been grubbing around for my copy, but have since forlornly realized that I lent it to someone years ago and never got it back.
One Hundred Days: The Memoirs of the Falklands Battle Group Commander (Adm Sandy Woodward). I didn't read this one til 1994, when I was aboard the 2nd Fleet flagship off Haiti as the LNO from 24th MEU SOC. And it's a good thing I didn't because I wouldn't have been able to appreciate fully the expeditionary challenges that lay before the British task force, without having had three full floats under my (then) non-reg riggers belt.
No Picnic: 3 Commando Brigade in the South Atlantic (Julian Thompson). A very good view by the Commando Brigade commander, detailing both tactical and operational issues, with a good bit about having to execute a full landing and then a bold movement across the island into the teeth of the enemy's defenses. Add in that Thompson's span of control increased from three RM Commandos and supporting units to five maneuver units with the addition of two Army parachute battalions, that at no time could the task force guarantee him immunity from air attack, and that the logistics of his advance eastward were, to put it mildly, strained, and you begin to appreciate his enormous task. This too, I lent to someone and can't lay my hand on it.
Last but absolutely not least, Take That Hill! Royal Marines in the Falklands War, by (then) LtCol Nick Vaux, who commanded 42 Commando. This book ranks as one of the finest books a young officer, or an older one, can read to gain insights on his trade. I bought it when I was a cadet and have jealously guarded it ever since, reading it over and over again. Among Vaux's challenges were having a whole compnay group yanked from him at embarkation-- they went to retake South Georgia-- and having to build a new company with wherever he could get people and gear. In doing so they proved the worth of the "every Marine a rifleman" philosophy that colors the Royal Marines as deeply as it does the US Marines. Military readers will also appreciate the detail he provides about preparations for major actions, the imperative for brilliance in the basics, and how a good commander sets himself up for success in battle. (I was privileged to meet one of his provisional rifle company Marines later on, in 1994, in a NATO exercise in Sardinia. I happened to have the book with me on that float, recognized him from a photograph and his name from the text. Damn good guy, he was as surprised as I that I figured out who he was.)
Go forth, read, and enjoy. You'll learn a lot.
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Comments
No, but I did hear another story. I don't know about current exchange officers, but back then it wasn't unusual for US Marine officers to command a company of Royal Marines. The story I heard was about a USMC captain who was OC of a RM company about to deploy. He was about to load the ship with his lads when a US State Dept representative pulled up. The Company SgtMaj headed the DOS rep off and said, "I'll take care of it." He walked over to the captain, gave him the news, and led him away in tears.
Reminds me of the recent story of the Marine special ops unit being pulled out of Afghanistan.
Seems like there's no greater punishment for a Marine than to be pulled away from the fight.
Not that this Captain was being punished....just sayin', is all.
I'm not aware any US exchangees got as far as sailing. COMAW, Commodore Michael Clapp, had a USN Commander on his staff, who may even have been his G-3 Ops (I'm not quite certain whether he was Ops or Plans), who was left behind in the UK. In fact, he was invited to leave the planning cell in the first week after 2nd April.
Like Clapp's Staff Officer (Amphibious Warfare), an RN Cmdr who was medically unfit to go, he spent the war looking after COMAW's NATO affairs and back-office.
More reading. You people don't care if I have any social life at all, do you?
For the battle of Goose Green read my book: "2 Para's Battle for Darwin Hill and Goose Green" ISBN O966071719. Oak Square Press 2006.Amazon US
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Has anyone ever heard a story of three or four Marine ANGLICO's who were on an exchange tour with the RM's and ended up being deployed to the Falklands before the USMC could police them up?