MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands battle stress evidence.

The Royal Navy surgeon who saved both British and Argentine lives in the Falklands Conflict, Dr Rick Jolly, has told a High Court action brought by veterans in London that many of the 29,000 soldiers, sailors and airmen in the British Task Force were not mentally prepared for battle.

Captain Jolly, then surgeon commander in charge of the field hospital at Ajax Bay in East Falklands throughout the conflict, said he had calculated that the British ground force would suffer 1,000 deaths. In fact, the total, including sailors on ships sunk in Argentine raids, was 255.

He has been giving evidence to the High Court on behalf of 2,000 veterans who claim their experiences in the South Atlantic and other conflicts, caused traumatic stress.

They are suing the Ministry of Defence saying they were inadequately prepared for, protected from, or treated for the mental trauma of war.

Doctor Jolly, now retired, from the Royal Navy, is the founder chairman of the South Atlantic Medal Association. For the life-saving efforts of his medical teams, he was the only Falklands veteran to receive medals from both the British and Argentine Governments, the OBE from the Queen, and the Argentine equivalent, the Order of May (Orden de Mayo).

Since the conflict Dr Jolly has studied and done research on the effects of battle stress. He wrote a book on his experiences and compiled a unique "Garden of Remembrance" website for the Falklands veterans' organisation, SAMA ?82, commemorating all British servicemen and the civilians killed in the conflict, with their photographs, a description of their lives and how they died.

Vital to discuss battle horrors.

Dr Jolly, who had two psychiatrists in his Ajax Bay medical teams, said it was vital that men suffering from the horrors of battle could talk to people who had shared similar experiences. But there was a "stiff upper lip" culture that often prevented soldiers mentally scarred by battle from discussing their suffering.

He told the court there was a distinct difference between the Royal Marines and the Parachute Regiment who walked and fought their way across the island, and the troops sent later, including the Welsh and Scots Guards. The Marines and Paras worked out daily on the troopship Canberra to get battle-fit.

While he had nothing but admiration for the Guards, they were ill-prepared for war because they had little time to get battle-fit. He and his medical staff had to deal with the horrific wounds of the Welsh Guards, badly burned when th