MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Historic Falklands return for Argentine photographer.

Twenty years ago, at the age of just 23, Argentine Rafael Wollmann became a rich man overnight.

He was the only professional photographer present in the Falkland Islands on the night of the Argentine invasion, on 2 April 1982. Working for the French agency Gamma, his pictures of British Royal Marines surrendering, and Argentine Armoured Personal Carriers (APC's) lining the narrow streets of Port Stanley, were sold worldwide. A percentage of every photograph sold, came his way! ?I was able to pay for my house overnight', admits Wollmann, who parents emigrated to Argentina from Poland.

Accused by the deported British Governor, Rex Hunt, and by others, of having being ?planted' by the Argentine Military Government, in anticipation of the invasion, Rafael Wollmann, now aged 43, has returned to the Islands in order to spell out the truth to those who remembered him from 20 years ago.

Wollmann, who celebrated his 23rd birthday on the day of his arrival in the Islands by L.A.D.E. aircraft, (23 March 1982), has assured everyone that he has met, that it was simply a situation of, ?Being in the right place at the right time'. ?Britain and Argentina had held talks in New York sometime previously over the Falklands sovereignty issue. Gamma decided that I should travel to the Islands in order to portray the lifestyle of the people, and obtain a geographic story of the Falklands. I took pictures of sheep shearing, children at school and people shopping. It was that type of mission'.

He almost lost the unexpected opportunity to make photographic history. Hours before Argentine troops landed, Governor Hunt, fearing that he might well be ?snatched', so making the Invasion plan a little less difficult, had a group of 30 Argentine workers of Gas del Estado rounded up, and placed under house arrest in the Stanley Town Hall. British Royal Marines checking the Upland Goose Hotel, were about to arrest Wollmann, but after he produced his journalistic credentials, they allowed him to remain free. ?I have much to thank those Royal Marines for, and have even managed to meet one of them, Bernie Eccles, who now lives in the Falklands with his family', said Wollmann.

He nearly lost his life during the attack on Government House. Sheltering with 3 British journalists in a cottage close to the Governor's residence, he had ju