With 3 Para to the Falklands

by Graham Colbeck

Overview

On Friday 9 April 1982 a British task force set sail for the Falkland Islands. Three months later, after a short but brutal campaign, it had successfully completed its mission of ejecting the Argentinian occupying forces from the islands. With 3 Para to the Falklands, released to mark the twentieth anniversary of the campaign, is the story of that dramatic engagement from the point of view of a sergeant in 3 Para. 3 Para played a significant part in the sharp, bloody campaign, marching from Port San Carlos to Port Stanley and fighting one of the crucial battles of the conflict -- the night assault on Mount Longdon. Graham Colbeck commanded a Milan section within 3 Para, and, with the aid of a camera and diary, recorded his experiences throughout the 74 days of the undeclared war. He documents the restless anticipation of soldiers on board the transport Canberra, the tense preparations for the dawn landings on East Falkland, and the sorties to enemy positions prior to battle.

The nine-hour drama of Longdon unravels as 3 Para struggle to ascend the jagged mountain slope under fire from the enemy. Colbeck's description of the sights, sounds, and smells of the murky battlefield bring a startling immediacy to the climax of the campaign, as men struggle to advance to their positions amid the gunfire. The terrible thrill of unexpected encounters with the enemy, and of succeeding in the ultimate challenge, gradually subsides in the face of sober evaluation as Colbeck and his compatriots assess the effectiveness of the British assault, and the Battalion's loss of lives. With 3 Para to the Falklands is one man's story of living through this vivid and intense period, and a gripping insight into the experience of modern battle. Colbeck details the training and techniques used in the shaping of an elite force, and records the soldiers' personal battles against the unique island landscape in a series of stunning photographs.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781526713650
Publisher:	Pen & Sword Books Limited
Publication date:	11/30/2017
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	192
File size:	12 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

GRAHAM COLBECK was one of the outstanding figures in the 3 Para during the Falklands Campaign of 1982. He served as a sergeant in the Milan Anti-tank Platoon and was one of the few people to have kept up a diary during the conflict. LIEUTENANT GENERAL SIR HEW PIKE, KCB, DSO, MBE is a retired senior British Army officer known for his service in the Falklands War and for his command in Northern Ireland.

Table of Contents

List of Maps 6

List of Illustrations 7

Glossary and Abbreviations 9

Foreword Lieutenant-General Sir Hew Pike, KCB, DSO, MBE 15

Prologue 17

1 Airborne 21

2 Spearhead 36

3 Voyage 47

4 Wideawake 54

5 Southward 65

6 Destination 86

7 Advance 96

8 Delay 108

9 Battle 122

10 Aftermath 176

11 Victory 195

12 Return 205

Killed in Action on Mount Longdon 209

Epilogue 210

Last Words Vernon Steen Lance-Corporal Denzil Connick Ailsa Heathman 214

Index 221