A Students Guide to the Falklands War

Acknowledgements

My mum and late dad for their understanding and continual love and support. To my son Anthony and daughters Natalie and Danielle for being there when I needed them. My sister Susan (an absolute rock) and Michelle. My brothers 'Face' and Lionel for being my brothers in arms and my wife and love Sue for putting up with me for all these years xx. Not forgetting my two Grandchildren Jessica and Tommy pictured below and the two new additions arriving shortly. My little friend Tigger must get a mention. Last but not least my best friend Steve who is no longer with us.

To all the brave families who were held prisoner in the community centre at Goose Green and all the servicemen and women including civilians and crewman from various nations who supported Britain during the war and not forgetting those who paid the ultimate price. To all those who served during the war and those who know me.

Many thanks to Wikipedia Info & honour regained for their input through those who have been there and done it. The Falkland Islands visitor guide.

My Grandchildren Jessica & Tommy

Sources

The material/photos in this book were compiled from hundreds of sources and have attributed the origin where I can, and where I have not I tried unsuccessfully and can only apologise in advance.

Connotation

Soldier means all service personnel from all three services including females and reserves and stretcher bearer means all those service personnel who carried out this role during the Falkland’s War from any unit or service. (he) covers all female service personnel for ease and does not in any way intend to cause harm or upset.

Authors note

In early 1982, General and Acting President Leopoldo Fortunato Castelli Galtieri, the head of Argentina's ruling military junta from December 1981 to June 1982 authorized the invasion of the British Falkland Islands. The operation was designed to draw attention away from their grim human rights record and failing economic policies at home by bolstering national pride and giving optimism to the nation’s long-held but disputed claim on the islands that have lingered on since 1816. Argentina remained on the island until 1831 when they were removed unceremoniously by the Americans on board the US Corvette Lexington in retaliation to Louis Vernet who had earlier seized some US sealing schooners. The British and American Consuls in Buenos Aires disputed this as they had a right to explore the natural resources on the islands Vernet a controversial figure where the Falklands are concerned was born in Hamburg, Germany but later claimed a French birthplace. He was known as the military and civil commander of the Falkland Islands and the islands adjacent to Cape Horn and was appointed by the Government of Buenos Aires. The US then declared the island free of Government. Britain took possession from Argentina in 1833 and declared colonial administration meaning the Argentines had a total occupancy of seventeen years on the island since there independence in 1816, yet they still claim that the islands belong to them. The islands have a complex history stretching over five hundred years; whereby the British, Portuguese, Dutch, French and Spanish settled on them at one point or other and the truth about who precisely got there first will probably never be known. The Spanish named the islands Las Malvinas and they never renounced their claim in favour of Argentina.

An incident occurred between the British and Argentine forces on nearby South Georgia Island, a remote UK colony in the South Atlantic Ocean on April 2 1982 where a small garrison of Royal Marines fought bravely with the Argentines but eventually resisted being heavily outnumbered after a short fire fight. The Argentines quickly advanced and eventually captured the capital at Port Stanley by April 4th. This aggressive move was followed by a brief but bitter war between Argentine and the UK.

Galtieri’s military junta hoped to restore its support at a time of economic crisis, by reclaiming sovereignty of the islands. It said it had inherited them from Spain in the 1820s. The UK, which has ruled the islands for over 180 years, (up to now) quickly, chose to fight and Prime Minister the late Baroness Margaret Thatcher said the 1,800 Falklander’s were of British tradition and stock. A task force was rapidly assembled and sent over 8,000 miles away by sea to reclaim the islands. In the fighting that followed, 655 Argentine and 255 British servicemen lost their lives, as did three Falkland Islanders. This book gives a very brief account of the history of the Falkland Islands by someone who fought in 1982 to ensure that the islands remain British for eternity and who helped push an aggressive and desperate dictator from these unique little islands back to his troubled and chaotic country. The Argentines have tried every dirty trick in the book to highlight that the Islas Malvinas known to the UK as the Falkland Islands belongs to them. They even tried to promote their cause during the 2014 football world cup in Brazil by having the football team hold a large banner stating that the Islands belong to Argentine. I must admit some players did not look like they were supporting this silly demonstration. They have tried many unethical media oriented stunts to get their point across and failed. They also tried a dirty trick tactic at the London Olympics Surely the hint that no one is interested in their desperate attempts to take the islands over has not sunken in yet. They tried, they failed, and nothing is going to change so why don’t they take notice of the recent referendum in 2013 that was overseen by international observers whereby the Falkland Islanders voted to determine their future? 99.8% of those who voted voted an overwhelming ‘YES’ to maintaining current political status as a British overseas territory. Say no more.

In Argentina the defeat of 1982 led to the removal of Galtieri three days after the fall of Port Stanley. His downfall spelled the end for the military junta that had been unceremoniously ruling the country and paved the way for the restoration of democracy. For Britain, the victory provided a much-needed boost to its national confidence, reaffirmed its international position and assured victory for the late Baroness Thatcher Government in the 1983 elections.

Galtieri died 12 January 2003 aged 76 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The Argentines should cease their hostilities and dirty tricks tactics and thank Britain for bringing stability to their country that was ruled by a dictator who was feared by most through his harsh human rights regime and torture methods and whose failing economic policies were renown around the world.

It appears that the present Argentine President and former presidents have tried and failed to unsettle what is quite clearly a British colony. One would assume that this persistence or sabre-rattling is really aimed at point scoring for their Government and certainly has a more political swing to it now that gas and oil companies are exploring around the North of the Falklands.

This is a drawing that my five year old son drew for me about

the Falklands War

Preface

The Falkland Islands are a group of many islands in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian shelf. East and West Falklands, the two largest islands are separated by the Falkland Sound with scores of smaller islands scattered around the two landmasses. Booth are over eight thousand miles away from the United Kingdom and around four hundred miles from mainland Argentina. It is said that English navigator Sea Captain John Davies on board Desire first discovered the islands in 1592. The first recorded claim to the islands was on 2nd February by Richard Hawkins for Queen Elizabeth 1 in 1594. The first recorded landing was in 1690 by British Captain John Strong RN in his ship ‘Welfare’ who named the sound between the two islands, Falkland, in honour of the First lord of the Admiralty, Anthony Cary, who held the title Viscount of Falkland. Spain and Britain co-existed on the islands up until 1774. The British colony was then abandoned voluntarily and the islands then became a harbour for fishing and livestock with an undisputed political status until around 1820. In 1823 since the islands had no permanent inhabitants Buenos Aires granted German born Louis Vernet permission to control fishing activities and in 1829 gave him the title military and civil commander of the islands. In 1831 the inhabitants were removed unceremoniously by the Americans on board US Corvette Lexington in retaliation to Louis Vernet who had earlier seized some US sealing schooners. The British and American consuls in Buenos Aires disputed this as they had a right to explore the natural resources on the islands. Vernet a controversial figure where the Falklands were concerned was born in Hamburg but later claimed a French birthplace. The US then declared the islands ‘Free of Government,’ Britain took possession from Argentina in 1833 when two Royal Navy warships HMS Clio and Tyne under the command of Captain JJ Onslow replaced the Argentine flag with a British flag and forced them to leave declaring a colonial administration. The islands have a complex history stretching over five hundred years, whereby the British, Portuguese, Dutch, French and Spanish settled there at one point or other. The truth about who precisely got there first will probably never be known. One thing is clear the Spanish named the islands Las Malvinas and they never renounced its claim in favour of Argentina. Port Stanley became the capital of the islands when Governor Moody moved the administration from Port Louis. The capital was named after the colonial secretary of the day Edward Geoffrey Smith 14th Earl of Derby. Government House was then built in 1845 and the first British Governor was in place, enabling the islands to become a crown colony and Stanley became the Capital. The islands are now independent in every way except for the defence and foreign affairs. Supreme authority is vested in the Queen and exercised locally on her behalf by the Governor with the assistance of a legislative and executive council. The islands with an area of four thousand, seven hundred square miles have a population of around three thousand; and Stanley the capital is twinned with Whitby in the United Kingdom. 2.5 million acres of land are farmed with half a million sheep and five thousand cattle grazing. The economy, which once relied solely on the sale of wool, is now thriving through rural development, fisheries, agriculture and tourism. Education is free, and students who want further education can attend university in the United Kingdom paid for by their government.

The world’s largest cruise ships visit here to see the unspoilt spectacular landscape that offers something different both in terms of flora and fauna and the natural beauty. The deep waters of the South Atlantic Ocean are rich in marine life including sea lions, whales, porpoises and dolphins. The wildlife, which also includes various species of penguins, sixty different breeding birds and eighty per cent of the world’s breeding population of Black Browned Albatross, brings admirers from around the globe. It has not always been so. In 1975 the economy in the Falklands was in decline and in need of a kick-start. The then Foreign Secretary James Callaghan assembled a team under Lord Shackleton (son of Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton) to conduct an economic survey of the islands that became known as the Shackleton report. The first report in 1977, which confirmed the stagnation and degeneration of the economy, was largely ignored at that time. Ironically it was after the war in 1982 that Lord Shackleton updated his report which was commissioned by Margaret Thatcher and it was his recommendations that began the economic expansion that has taken place since. The late US President, Ronald Reagan, called the Falklands, a little ice-cold bunch of land down there. It is said that that Sir Ernest Shackleton stayed at Government House during his famous expedition and described the weather there as far colder than at any time on