MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

New book published

The first comprehensive account of how the people of the Falkland Islands existed under the 1982 Argentine invasion and how some of them engaged in active resistance is told in a new book by Falkland Islander and journalist, Graham Bound
The hardback book Falkland Islanders at War, which is illustrated with maps and photographs taken during the occupation, is to be published in late March to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the invasion.

As a young journalist at the time, Graham Bound was founder of Penguin News. He is now editor of a Ministry of Defence newspaper in London.

Lady Thatcher, visiting the Falklands in 1992 for the Tenth Anniversary urged then that such a book be written, but, in a conversation with MercoPress correspondent Harold Briley, who reported the war from Argentina, Graham Bound explained it was not Margaret Thatcher who prompted his book.
"I always wanted to do it anyway," he said. "It just seemed to me that this was the final chance".

Filling gap in history"If we left it any longer than 20 years too many memories would fade and too many people would pass away. My original idea was to have a lot of first-person interviews as an oral history. The publishers, Pen and Sword (who have previously published several Falklands War books) liked the idea but suggested I put in more work and link the interviews, telling the complete story.

"There have been many books published about the Service people who fought and about the politicians who made the decisions, but there has been no in-depth account of the civilians' experiences. Several local people, including most notably John Smith, have published their memoirs, but I have tried to go a lot further, reflecting the experiences and memories of many people.

"I spent eight months on research and writing, including one month in the Falklands interviewing more than 100 Islanders. I also interviewed a handful of people in Argentina, including Air Commodore Carlos Bloomer Reeve and Navy Captain Barry Hussey (Argentine officers) who were key figures in the Argentine administration and whom I always believed did a lot to help Falkland Islanders."

Under fire in front line"People may have forgotten how much practical help the Islanders gave to the British forces in getting wounded back, transporting ammunition and food to the front line, and guiding troops. During the lead-up to the battle for Mount Longdon, they often came under shell fire.

"Two men in particular were even at the front in the battle - Terry Peck and Vernon Steen. Future generations, even people born since and now coming to maturity, deserve to know what happened during those dangerous times. There are lots of amazing stories.

"I was also keen to tell the detailed story of the occupation of Goose Green, during which about 100 Islanders were locked-up and only released when British paratroops stormed the settlement.

"The story of the Royal Marines defence of Stanley also interested me greatly. It has been largely ignored in the past, and yet those men put up a ferocious defence in the face of an overwhelming attack. I have had a lot of help from some of the Marines who were there and had access to their post battle reports that give some new information about the battle."

Resisting the invadersIn the book, Graham Bound writes: "The Islanders refused to accept Argentinean rule, and many of them went to great lengths to make the occupiers' lives as miserable as possible and to assist the British task force. Some Islanders adopted a cautious pragmatic approach to the invaders while others opted for active resistance."

He describes how the veterinary surgeon, Steve Whitley, whose school teacher wife, Susan, was one of three Island residents killed by British shellfire, cut military telephone wires.

Whitley and Terry Peck secretly took pictures of Argentine military posts to smuggle to the task force; and lighthouse keeper Reginald Silvey, made clandestine radio transmissions describing Argentine military dispositions to a United Kingdom radio ham to pass on to the Ministry of Defence. The Argentines searched constantly for the covert radio operator but never succeeded in finding him.

The occupiers were equally worried about incursions by British Special Forces. There are intriguing stories to suggest that the SAS did infiltrate Stanley and live among the Islanders.

Some Islanders, regarded by the Argentines as trouble-makers, faced internal exile and whole settlements were imprisoned. Those in Stanley endured British naval shelling, artillery attacks and bombing raids.

"Falkland Islanders at War" by Graham Bound, published by Pen and Sword,47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 2BR. Price £19.95 hardback. ISBN 0-85052-836-4

Harold Briley, London

Born in Stanley, into one of the original Falkland Islands families, Graham Bound was educated both there and in Montevideo, Uruguay. In 1979 he founded Penguin News, now the only newspaper in the Falklands, editing it until 1984. He sheltered at the Upland Goose Hotel throughout the Argentine occupation (the subject of this book).
Later he also worked as a freelance journalist for The Sunday Times, Daily Mail, Time, Press Association and UPI After moving to London he became an assistance editor of Soldier Magazine from 1997 to 2000, winning an award for his coverage of NATO's intervention in Kosovo. Since 2000 he has been Editor of Focus, the Minister of Defence journal, and he also work for BBC World Service as a presenter.