Description
Object description
British officer served as chaplain with 2nd Bn Parachute Regt, 3rd Commando Bde during Falklands War, 4/1982-6/1982
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of period as chaplain with 2nd Bn Parachute Regt, 3rd Commando Bde during voyage aboard MV Norland from GB to Falklands Islands, 4/1982-5/1982: hearing news of Falkland Islands crisis whilst running unit shooting team at Tidworth, GB; role as small arms and sniping expert; allocation of battalion to MV Norland; attitude of troops to potential active service; embarkation at Portsmouth, GB; relations between MV Norland's crew and unit; reaction to Captain Donald Ellerby's farewell speech; joining Task Force at Ascension Island; accommodation on board; allocation to casualty clearing role; preparing troops mentally for the prospect of action; content of religious services and religious background of unit; reaction on board to sinking of Argentine Navy cruiser ARA General Belgrano; anti-aircraft precautions on board ship.
REEL 2 Continues: Recollections of operations as chaplain with 2nd Bn Parachute Regt, 3rd Commando Bde during landings at San Carlos Water in Falkland Islands, 20/5/1982-27/5/1982: delays prior to landings; planned role for unit; problems with communicating landing details to MV Norland; obtaining whisky prior to landing; Colonel Herbert 'H' Jones' insistence of taking crucifixes; false alarm of Argentinean infra-red sources from Fanning Head; weight of packs and equipment; role carrying medical supplies; embarkation onto landing craft; accidental discharge of machine gun fire; character of beach landing at San Carlos Water; problems of wet landing; carrying injured soldier on groundsheet; Argentine Air Force attacks on positions at foot of Sussex Mountain; lifting of packs by helicopter; positions on top of Sussex Mountain; firing on Argentinean Air Force aircraft attacking ships; Colonel Herbert 'H' Jones' concern with maintaining forward momentum; sight of HMS Antelope burning, 23/5/1982; conditions on Sussex Mountain; question of Colonel Herbert 'H' Jones' misgivings about suitability of officers and view of decisiveness of first battle.
REEL 3 Continues: mood amongst unit on Sussex Mountain. Recollections of operations as chaplain with 2nd Bn Parachute Regt, 3rd Commando Bde during Battle of Goose Green during Falklands War, 28/5/1982-29/5/1982: reasons for initial cancellation of plan to raid Goose Green; move to Camilla Creek House; capture of Argentinean prisoners of war; approach to start line; wait on start line; opinion of Argentinean artillery fire; attending D Coy casualities; move to Darwin Hill; problems of evacuating casualties; narrow escape whilst looking for casualties on Darwin Hill; monitoring work of snipers; move into Goose Green after surrender; dealing with dead bodies; importance of accuracy of listing dead; deployment of snipers; memories of Colonel Herbert 'H' Jones.
REEL 4 Continues: problems of dealing with islanders after battle; method of accounting for British dead; collecting dead from battlefield; story of deaths of Lieutenant James Barry and Corporal Paul Sullivan during surrender proceedings; question of inaccuracies of causes of death; treatment of British and Argentinean dead; attitude of Argentinean officers in identification of dead; Falkland Islanders' attitude to burial of Argentinean dead in cemetery; burial of Argentinean dead and importance of having Argentinean chaplain present; accidental explosion of Argentinean ammunition dump at Goose Green; dealing with Argentinean prisoners of war casualties amongst clearance party; Brigadier Tony Wilson's reaction to sight of casualties; importance of getting journalist Robert Fox's story back to GB; effects of ammunition explosion; documenting position of grave of Fleet Air Arm pilot Lieutenant Nick Taylor.
REEL 5 Continues: Recollections of operations as chaplain with 2nd Bn Parachute Regt, 3rd Commando Bde during Falklands War, 5/1982-6/1982: move of unit to Bluff Cove by helicopter; setting up of regimental aid post at Fitzroy; anticipating attack on RFA Sir Galahad; encounter with commanding officer of field ambulance unit; making room for casualties from RFA Sir Galahad; sight of Chinese crewman from RFA Sir Galahad; state of officers from 1st Bn Welsh Guards after attack on RFA Sir Galahad; contact with Polish seamen at Bluff Cove; attitude towards problems that had occurred at Bluff Cove; conditions during move to Mount Kent; freezing night without cover; reactions to orders from new commanding officer Lieutenant-Colonel David Chaundler for attack on Wireless Ridge; sharing rations with A Coy.
REEL 6 Continues: unit casualties at Wireless Ridge; moving regimental medical officer Captain Steve Hughes forward by helicopter; rumours of Argentinean surrender; move to Moody Brook; march into Port Stanley; orders not to do victory march through Port Stanley; church service in Port Stanley; conditions in Port Stanley and behaviour of occupying Argentinean forces; reaction of islander to deaths of civilians in Port Stanley; return to GB. Reflections on Falklands War: reaction to burying of battalion dead in cemeteries in GB, 10/1982; question of effects of experiences in Falklands War; question of need for counseling; comparison between Falklands War veterans and those of the other wars; question of adjusting to civilian life; attitude towards Argentineans including after death of Lieutenant James Barry.
REEL 7 Continues: change in personal attitude towards Falklands War; importance of war to credibility of British foreign policy.
