Book Review: Memoirs from a War at the Edge of the World

Memoirs from a War at the Edge of the World

A review of Julian Thompson’s

 No Picnic: 3 Commando Brigade in the South Atlantic: 1982 [1]

by Santiago Previde

The Malvinas Islands would occupy an inconsequential place in world history if not for the events of 1982. Before April 2^nd of that year, the Malvinas, or Falklands, were a forgotten British overseas territory at the edge of the world. At that time, few things could be said about those islands which lay more than 8000 miles from England. They were desolate, cold and damp, sparsely populated by 2000 locals, and a weak Royal Marine garrison.  The Argentinean invasion took the world by surprise and the subsequent war became the object of an extensive literature, from articles, papers, and memoirs. Julian Thompson’s No Picnic was first published in 1985 and it immediately became a cornerstone of Malvinas-related bibliography. 

Thompson is a retired British General from the Royal Marines who played a crucial role in the war by commanding the 3 Commando Brigade, the landing task group that fought the key land and final battles. Considering his responsibility as Task Group Commander and his involvement from day one up to the capture of Port Stanley, it is fair to say that few people were in a better position to write about the events of 1982. After retiring from the Marines, Thompson continued his career as a researcher on military history and a research fellow at the King’s College of London.  

The fact that the war was brief, unexpected, and located in such hostile territories, affected the quality and quantity of the information collected and published by reporters. In the years after war, there were few reliable accounts and many controversies. This book is Thompson’s attempt to tell his story and the one of his men. The title reveals a great deal of the message he was trying to get through: Even though the war only lasted 72 days and was light on casualties, it was not a picnic. In his view, victory was a result of the sacrifices and professionalism of the British soldiers. Based on his official war diaries, No Picnic is an account of his experience as a leader of the 3 Commando Brigade. Starting on April 2^nd at 03:15 when his telephone rang with the news of the Argentinean invasion, and finishing with the final victory on June 14th, the book is a meticulous day by day chronic. Written with a dry prose that evocates a sense of military rigidity, the reader might consider that the narrative lacks vibrancy at different points. However, the chronology of the events narrated generate a clear crescendo of the action and makes one eager to continue up to the last page.  

The book is composed of ten chapters that tackle each of the main stages of the war and the role he played on them. The adrenaline and emergency of the preparations for deployment in Chapter 1 set the tone for what is to come: Rapid decision-making, tension, and the portraying of his Brigade as a well-oiled war machine. The first stop of British forces in Ascension Island serves as a prelude to introduce other commanding officers and the decision-making processes in the Task Force. The author skillfully balances the report of the first events of the fighting at sea, mostly under the command of Admiral Woodward, with the planning made before the landing of his troops. Where, when and how to land in the Islands become the critical question. The focus on the strategic and operational levels of the conflict helps to create a “bigger picture” perspective in the narrative.

True action starts in Chapter 5 “First Foothold”, where the author addresses D-Day. Here, Thompson presents the reader for the first time with the nature of war in all its intensity. The friction, the fog, the importance of logistics and the ultimate reign of chaos, are clearly depicted in this five-day battle. In the remaining four chapters, the now retired general guides the reader through the fighting and yomping towards the final objective of Port Stanley.[2] He skillfully portrays the deteriorating weather and complex terrain, which become ever-present features for the rest of the book; almost as main characters whose actions and nature cannot be overlooked. In the account of the Battle of Goose Green, the first land engagement of the war, the author delineates the pattern for the coming battles: Argentines in strong defensive positions and the British units having to push forward under a heavy fire. Victory at Goose Green is followed by an arduous approach to Stanley through the complex terrain of the island.

The final blow comes with the simultaneous attack on Mt. Harriet, Mt. Two Sisters, and Mt. Longdon. In the end, the land mines, the trenches in higher ground and the courage of the Argentinian soldiers were not enough to stop the superiority and professionalism of the British army. This was the decisive factor in the outcome of the war according to the author. Being a soldier himself, he naturally overlooks an extensive list of factors that played a larger role in the British victory, like diplomacy, equipment, and the political dysfunctionality of Argentina’s military junta. On June 14th, after three days of sustained “savage gutter fighting”[3], the Argentinean governor of the Islands surrendered. This puts the end to the war and to the book. The ending is abrupt and might leave readers disappointed with the lack of some final thoughts or conclusion. 

40 years after the end of a war that perplexed the world, No Picnic continues to be one the most influential books ever written about the Malvinas and can be found as a reference in most of the new books on the topic that continue to come out. However, some precautions should be taken into account. The book strictly sticks to the military account of the decisions and actions of the 3 Commando Brigade. Naturally, the scope of the facts narrated are one-sided and somewhat narrow, since he does not explore in depth the political context, the Argentinean perspective or the actions of the other British commanders.  Readers looking for a truly global analysis of the conflict will not find that in this book. Also, neophytes to the study of the Malvinas will need to appeal to complementary information to grasp the context of the actions narrated. Finally, those seeking a more personal account showing the human face of battle will consider the rational and factual approach of the author spiritless. That being said, the book is written with precision, simplicity and leaves almost no aspect of the war experience at the operational level untouched.

(Editor’s Note: Since the reviewer is from Argentina he uses the Malvinas versus the Falklands when making his commentary.)