No Picnic

· Pen and Sword
4.4
5 reviews
Ebook
224
Pages
Eligible
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About this ebook

A new edition of the classic Falklands War memoir “which many regard as the most perceptive description of the momentous events of April to June 1982” (Maritime Adviser).

Major General Julian Thompson first wrote this account (previously published as No Picnic) when what happened in the spring and summer of 1982 was fresh in his mind. As Commander of 3 Commando Brigade, he was at the heart of the planning and conduct of the Falklands War. Under his direct command had been the Royal Marine Commandos and the two battalions of the Parachute Regiment who conducted the lion’s share of the fighting.

No one therefore is better qualified to tell the extraordinary story of their taking of the Falkland Islands from the Argentinians. The author, now a celebrated military historian, has revised his early book and added for this 25th Anniversary edition more of his own personal thoughts and impressions.

It is all too easy to overlook just how perilous and risky a venture this expedition to the depths of the Southern Hemisphere was. Victory and defeat hung in the balance. Even those who feel they know about this most remarkable of wars will learn more from reading this classic account.

“A fascinating perspective on the war from a key participant and a valuable insight into the mind of a field commander.” —Flying in Ireland

Ratings and reviews

4.4
5 reviews
Joe Piper
May 31, 2018
An excellent detailed account of the actions fought throughout the Falklands campaign by 3 Commando Brigade by their commanding officer the then Brigadier Julian Thompson. As you would expect very insightful from a commanders point of view. However despite reading a lot of military history I found the constant use of military terminology hard to follow at times. None the less a must read for anyone interested in a detailed knowledge of the Faulkland war. I would also recommend 'One Hundred Days' by Admiral Sandy Woodward - Commander of the Carrier Battle Group. 'Thatchers War' by Margaret Thatcher and the excellent 'The Battle for the Faulklands' by Max Hastings amongst many others.
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About the author

Born in Calcutta, Julian Thompson was educated at Sherborne School. He joined the Royal Marines aged 18 and served on seven continents over 34 years.

He commanded 40 Commando Royal Marines and then, during the Falklands War, 3 Commando Brigade which made the initial Landings and saw much of the action in the battles that followed.

Since retiring as a Major General he has pursued literary and academic interests. He is a Visiting Professor at the Department of War Studies, Kings College, London. Among his many published works are Ready For Anything; The Parachute Regiment at War 1940 – 1982, The Lifeblood of War: Logistics and Armed Conflict and The Royal Marines. He has published six books with the Imperial War Museum: Victory in Europe, The War at Sea: the Royal Navy in the Second World War, Behind Enemy Lines, Modern Warfare (ed), The War in Burma and The War at Sea 1914-1918.

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