Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #241200 in Books
• Published on: 2004-01-20
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 112 pages

Synopsis
June 1982, and in the middle of a South Atlantic winter, the Falklands War is at its height. The Parachute Regiment has already been in action - 2 Para securing a hard fought victory at Darwin-Goose Green at a heavy price in killed and wounded including their CO, Lieutenant Colonel 'H' Jones, later awarded a posthumous VC. Now, two weeks later, as they look up at the long, frost shattered spines of rock which stab the air from the summit of Mount Longdon on the outer ring of the Stanley defences, the 'toms' of 3 Para know it is their turn. As they prepare to assault their objectives - features code named 'wing forward', 'fly half' and 'full back' - the men of 3 Para know they are in for a fight. Just before 'zero' some of them are simply told to pray. This, the first in a new series on Special Operations, tells the story of 3 Para and the often-neglected struggle for Mount Longdon. It was a battle which tested the discipline, comradeship and professionalism of the paras to the limit; it was a battle which witnessed another posthumous VC; it turned out to be the bloodiest battle of the entire Falklands Campaign.

Customer Reviews

At Last!
Having seen an advance copy of this book, I can only compliment Jon Cooksey on the accuracy of 99% of the content.

Reading some of the comments from the contributors, one can only imagine the horror of war and the terrible aftermath of what must have been a truly bloody battle.

I believe this will soon become one of the 'Must have' books covering the Falklands campaign and Mount Longdon in particular.

Outstanding...

3 Para - Mount Longdon - Disappointing
I feel that this book is not up to the standard of other books written about the Falklands war. It is quite short and does not enter into a great detail. There is also far too much of participants accounts rather than overall perspective and historical analysis. Overall I found this book a little disappointing and await a more detailed anlysis of the battle and tactics.

Well done 3 PARA!
It's been a while since I've read about the Falklands War, and Jon Cooksey has revived my interest in this infantry vs. infantry show down in the southern Atlantic.
The book is short, to the point and well illustrated. It doesn't concern itself much with the "why there is a war on", which is okay with me, but moves quickly on to join 3 PARA on the arduous journey that takes the battalion to and through the battle of Mount Longdon.
"...the paras fought through with rifle and bayonet and moved towards the crest of the ridge...". How I wish that somebody would do a thorough research on how many times the British soldiers and marines actually used their bayonets "in anger". I'm sure most fixed bayonets, but I don't think much stabbing and gutting was done!? I'm convinced it should've said "...the paras fought through with rifle and grenade...". It's a small number of details like this one that precludes the book from earning the fifth star.
Every now and then you come across a short narrative by a man who was there - mostly paras but even a local islander and an Argentine. These parts are very good indeed.
Last but not least the book sports a short but none the less interesting reading list, from which I've only read the ones by Vincent Bramley and of course The Falklands War 1982 by Martin Middlebrook - all recommendable.