Over seventy merchant ships sailed in the Task force sent by Britain to recapture the Falkland islands in 1982. Some were Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels, but the majority were STUFT-ships taken up from trade-and the officers and crew of these merchant vessels, all volunteers, suddenly found themselves thrust into a war zone in the South Atlantic.
The book provides insights into a field that not has been the subject of any substantial historical research up to now: the contribution of the British merchant navy to the British military campaigns during the Falklands War. . . .the book definitely allows the reader to understand the situation on board the respective vessels and the merchant mariners' thoughts and behaviour as part of a naval operation. . . .Johnson-Allen provides a fascinating look into such an operation by showcasing not only the factual history of the British long-distance supply operations during the Falklands War, but also the difficulties that arose between the navy and the merchant marine. . . .This book is a welcome addition to the bookshelf of any maritime/naval historian whether interested in this particular conflict or the wider context of navy-merchant marine cooperation. An index, maps, photographs and the bibliography provide useful information for further research.
