MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Sir Lawrence and Islanders heroism incidents

The author of the new official history of the Falklands War says he feels “genuinely uncomfortable” that many incidents of heroism displayed by Islanders and others during the campaign are barely discussed in his book.

Professor Lawrence Freedman was responding to an article written by Mercopress correspondent Harold Briley which accused the war author of doing Islanders a disservice, "by his paucity of recognition in what is billed as an 'Official History'."

Mr Briley this week wrote, "It is puzzling why, in a two-volume, 1,100-page history, after seven years of research, such an experienced military historian and analyst as Professor Freedman appears to give such little weight to the impressive contribution of the Islanders, several of whom braved death or injury in action and possibly harsh treatment as spies.

"For example, he omits to mention that two men who carried and used arms in the ferocious close- combat battle for Mount Longdon ? former Police Chief Terry Peck and air service engineer Vernon Steen ? were awarded medals for bravery or that Mrs Trudi Morrison (now Trudi McPhee) won a military commendation from the Task Force Commander in Chief. All three get only summary mention, unworthy of their courageous actions."

Mr Briley said he suspected many Falkland Islanders will be disappointed, "...with an Official History which is so lacking in acknowledgement of their trauma, their defiance and their very real opposition to the Argentine invaders and their invaluable help to the Task Force."

On Wednesday Professor Freedman told Penguin Newshe was "somewhat surprised" by the tone of Mr Briley's remarks because, "...elsewhere he has written enthusiastically about the book." However, he added, "...he has a point and it is one that concerns me, but the concern goes beyond the Islanders."

He explained, "If you read the many accounts of the campaign and the many battles fought you become aware of numerous incidents of heroism, many of them gaining medal citations, and hardly any of them are discussed in detail in my book.

"There are numerous people who in this sense would have good reason to feel slighted. I genuinely feel uncomfortable about this and have done so throughout the project."

In the book, Professor Freedman said, he does, "...mention the relevant incidents and people, try to put them in context, and I hope take nothing away from the experiences of the Islanders (particularly those stuck at Goose Green)." He added that many of the comments on the role of the Argentines as occupiers came from his interviews with Islanders.

Professor Freedman said the problem stemmed from the fact the book was "top down history."

He explained, "My task, as I explain in the introduction, was to describe the policy-making processes and the command decisions. I had neither the space nor the remit to provide a decent description of all events on the ground. The book was twice the size the publishers were expecting as it was.

"It is always striking after a book is published that people are full of ideas about what should have been put in but have fewer about what could have been left out."

He said he hoped Falkland Islanders "understand the limits of what I set out to do and could do," and added, "I would also hope that they find the book interesting for what it tells them about how their predicament was viewed in London, not only in 1982 but over the whole of the period covered". (PN).