Falkland Islanders were the
first British people to come under enemy occupation since the
Channel Islanders during the Second World War. This book tells how
Islanders' warnings were ignored in London, how their slim defences
gave way to a massive invasion, and how they survived occupation.
While some established a cautiously pragmatic modus vivendi with the
occupiers, some Islanders opted for active resistance, using banned
radios to transmit intelligence and confuse the Argentines. Others
joined advancing British troops, transporting ammunition and leading
men to the battlefields. They often came under Argentine fire.
Islanders' leaders and 'trouble makers' faced internal exile, and
whole settlements were imprisoned, becoming virtual hostages. Those
who remained in besieged Stanley found themselves in the same
dangerous situation as their enemy, enduring British naval shelling,
artillery attacks and bombing raids. The occupation produced real
local heroes - and some unlikely ones on the Argentine side.
Of all the books written
about the Falklands War none captures the mood in so personal a way
as "Memories of the Falklands" because it brings together
the vivid recollections of 66 diverse individuals. Some were
at the heart of the crisis and the war; others looked on from a
distance. They included several Falkland Islanders, some of
the Commanders who directed the battles and front-line servicemen
who fought them at close quarters; the wounded, the doctors, the
politicians, diplomats and journalists. The book is
illustrated with 50 photographs. It also carries a role of
honour of all the Task Force dead, and a timetable of the
sovereignty dispute.
This book gives a fascinating
insight into the sequence of events from the Argentinians seizing the
Islands on 2nd April 1982 through to the liberation by British
forces on 14th June 1982. It gives a feel of the emotions of the
time, the uncertainty of the Islanders and the day to day life under
the 74 days of Argentine rule in the capital Port Stanley.
If you have an interest in this chapter of history or want a human
angle on living through a military occupation this makes a very
insightful read.
Terry Betts
is proud to call himself a fourth generation Falkland Islander. By
the time Argentina invaded his beloved homeland in 1982, he was
married with two children and living in the capital, Stanley. They
were terrified and their experiences of the invasion and occupation
are vividly re-told in this book. This is also a story of a family
at war; brothers torn apart by their opposing beliefs: should the
Falkland Islands belong to Britain or Argentina? Terry Betts
set about doing his bit to modernise the islands – first through
his union, then as a politician and finally through his businesses.
His autobiography covers all this and more, including the harsh
realities of a 1950s childhood.
Sir Rex Hunt was Governor of
the Falkland Islands when the Argentinians invaded on 2 April 1982.
He returned to the Islands after Liberation to help rebuild the
shattered community. Since his retirement, he has revisited the
Islands on several
occasions and retains close links with many Islanders. This
book is a fascinating account of the time he spent in the Islands
before, during and after the conflict.
