"Book Review: Across an Angry Sea: The SAS in the..." Topic

… FALKLANDS WAR

"Across an Angry Sea: The SAS in the Falklands War is Lieutenant General Cedric Delves's first-hand account of 22 Special Air Service (SAS) involvement in the 74-day war between Argentina and Great Britain over the Falkland Islands. Commanding D Squadron, 22 SAS throughout the war, Delves played a central role in this special forces unit, which emerged as a pivotal player in the British war effort. Delves directed his men in a variety of ground operations, leading military historian Max Hastings to declare that no "man saw more than he did at the sharp end of the 1982 action in the South Atlantic."1 Written with this blend of authority and experience, Across an Angry Sea is a rich reservoir of primary source material on SAS contributions and decisions at the tactical and operational levels, albeit with bias and few references to outside research material for evidence.

The book's title is an excerpt from a poem inscribed on the 22 SAS barracks clock tower that embodies the unit's expeditionary nature, manifested in this conflict at the vestiges of the imperial frontier in the South Atlantic, nearly 13,000 kilometers from the homeland. Delves prefaces his account by stating, "[t]his is the story of their part in an historic event as seen through my eyes,"2 and the book unfolds from the perspective of Delves seeking to leverage the niche capabilities of his elite force for decisive results. He begins with his unit's rapid preparations to deploy following the surprise Argentinian invasion of the Falklands.3 With limited guidance from his commander and a perceived tendency among leaders to neglect the SAS early on in the war, Delves demonstrated disciplined initiative as he jockeyed for high-risk, high-reward missions in what he described as a quest for relevance. An early reconnaissance mission ends catastrophically due to poor decision-making and weather, but Delves's proactivity pays off when his unit leads the assault reclaiming South Georgia and completes strategic taskings in the Falkland Islands. Content flows chronologically through chapters detailing the planning and execution of named operations. Descriptions of raids, reconnaissance missions, and direct action convey the SAS's versatility and value leading up to the Argentinian surrender. The structure and author's ability to pair tactical operations with their strategic results adeptly convey the SAS's contributions in the Falklands War…"
Full Review here

link

Amicalement
Armand

Sounds like a useful resource. Thanks.

A votre service mon cher ami! (smile)

Amicalement
Armand