ORIGINAL INTRODUCTION
The definitive
battlefield atlas of the Falklands War will have
to wait some years or even decades for the
release of full British information and the
publication and analysis of much more from
Argentina (written in the 1980's, most of this information
has now been released and much published). In the meantime, this one pulls
together much of the data published in the U.K.,
not so much in greater detail, but as an
accurate-as-possible, step-by-step picture of how
the war progressed from incident to Argentine
invasion and on to British response and victory.
Like many human
events, the Falklands War can best be treated
like a jigsaw puzzle, but one neither so big that
most of the ships, land forces and aircraft
squadrons taking part, gallantry awards earned
and British deaths suffered, cannot be included,
nor so specialised that it cannot be treated as a
total war of the conventional variety. In telling
the story in the battlefield atlas form, the
build-up is slow as the British Task force
progresses south, but as the great logistics
success the South Atlantic campaign was, it
perhaps deserves to be told in this way. And like
any jigsaw, a lot of pieces have to be sorted, so
that first the border can be established before a
small group is collected together here, and
another there, until a fuller picture emerges.
Appendices - The appendices are
included more for the sake of completeness, and
thought was given to an additional one listing
the British war dead by date and action. However
many families and servicemen will not want to see
their men and comrades listed yet again. So even
though the dead and the wounded are a major part
of the price paid for the liberation of the
Falklands, it was decided to omit this
information. However it should be remembered that
what to many readers may be a fascinating
military and logistics story, is, to more than
250 families in Britain (and over a thousand in
Argentina) still a cause for mourning.
Information
Sources -
An early decision was taken to rely as far as
possible on existing publications, and those used
are listed in the Bibliography, but for some, a
special word of appreciation is due.
Books - For the most
comprehensive accounts of the war, "The
Battle for the Falklands" by Max Hastings
and Simon Jenkins and the later "Task
Force" by Martin Middlebrook can not be
bettered. "No Picnic" by Brigadier
Julian Thompson covers the land campaign with
both depth and feeling at all levels. "The
Forces Postal History of the Falklands Islands
and the Task Force" by John Davies, perhaps
not surprisingly when it is realised that most
participants received letters, is a real mine of
information, and the more recently published
"The Royal Navy and the Falklands War"
by David Brown was most timely and helpful. But
the all-round accolade for basic information on
the air and to a slightly lesser extent, the sea
and some land actions, and for its scholarship
and helpfulness must go to "Falklands: The
Air War" by members of the British Aviation
Research Group. These include Rodney Burden,
Michael Draper, Douglas Rough, Colin Smith and
David Wilton. To them I am particularly grateful.
Other
Publications - Some of the publications used as
well as other sources of information were
supplied by a number of people who I would like
to thank, including Bill Burkett, Mr A L Carter,
BP Shipping Ltd, Bosun R Cartwright RFA, Captain
S J Crowsley, Gurkha Rifles, Colonel W T Dennison
RE, Mardie Esterkin, P & O Group, Philip
Forbes, Major (Retd) J I Grant, Scots Guards,
Brigadier R J Lewendon (Retd) RA, John Miller,
Captain A G Newing RM and Chris Newman.
Photographs - And for the photographs
and permission to use them, Mr F R Andrews, Royal
Fleet Auxiliary Service, Lieutenant Commander C W
Beattie RN, RNAS Yeovilton, Matthew Little, Royal
Marines Museum, Major (Retd) G Norton, Airborne
Forces Museum, Alison Pickard, United Towing
Ltd., Brigadier J F Rickett, Welsh Guards,
Commander T J K Sloane RN, MOD (Navy), Group
Captain G Thorburn RAF (Retd), MOD (RAF) and
Major D R d'A Willis, 7th Duke of Edinburgh's Own
Gurkha Rifles.
Special
Thanks -
Most importantly, my sincere thanks to Nicholas
Smith, Michael Smith, Alex and Jane Welby, and
David and Betty Chapman. Without their support at
crucial stages, the book would not have been
completed.
Gordon
Smith, Penarth 1988
NOTE TO INTERNET SITE
No further
research or checking has been carried out on the
original version published in 1989. Ideally the
facts and figures and events should be
cross-checked against more recent British
publications and even more importantly, Argentine
sources that are now available. Particularly recommended reading
to bring you more up-to-date includes:
"Sea Harrier over the
Falklands" by Commander Nigel Ward, 1992
"Amphibious Assault Falklands" by Commodore Mike Clapp, 1996
"No Picnic", 3rd edition by Brigadier Julian Thompson, 2001
"100 Days", 2nd edition by Admiral Sandy Woodward, 2003
As for the original work, reviews
received included the following comments:
"contributed
tremendously to my knowledge of the war"
- Francois Heisbourg, Director,
The International Institute for Strategic
Studies,
London, November 1989
"a
concise and meticulous handbook describing
the strategy, tactics and logistics
....." - "Navy
News",
June 1989
"may
prove to be a most useful source .... maps
are well presented .... (there are no)
inconsistencies between text and maps -
additional corroboration of the general
accuracy and thoroughness of the author's
research and collation. .... So far as ....
the Official Secrets Act permits - the detail
is remarkably accurate" - Commander
James McCoy RN, "Naval
Review"
and
in 1999
.....
from a British born
journalist/researcher/writer in Argentina who
has specialised in the Falklands Conflict,
was recently editor of the English-language
"Buenos Aires Herald", and was
writing a PhD thesis on the diplomatic side
of the war:
"since
1982 I have visited the Falkland Islands over
15 times and on every occasion your book has
been in my rucksack and has become something
of my bible on the war. Over the years of
research I have also had numerous
opportunities to crosscheck the information
there contained against the Argentine
versions of the same events and have usually
found that is stands up as a fair appraisal
of the war even 17 years later."
and
in 2000
"Battle of the
Falkland's War" headed the list of
recommended British-published books,
described as "a very useful and detailed
guide to the day-by-day development of the
war", Argentine Army journal
"Soldados", April
2000
