Task Force

More than 200 years of tension between Britain and Argentina over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands erupted into an open conflict in April 1982 when Argentina invaded the islands. A naval task force was despatched from England to reclaim the islands from the invading troops, and the first British fighting in the Falklands took place on 1 May 1982. A beachhead was established at San Carlos on 21 May and after heavy fighting the islands were regained by British forces on 14 June when the Argentine invaders surrendered. Twenty years have passed since the Falklands War. To mark the anniversary, former Royal Marine David Reynolds describes the build-up to the departure of the Task Force, and the training onboard the ships as they headed for the South Atlantic. This authoritative account looks at all the units that took part, describing the fierce battles to regain the islands, and the thoughts of men who were heading to the first major war for British forces since Korea. More than 200 dramatic action photographs help to tell the story, many of which are rare or previously unpublished.