Overall, this was a very interesting book. Generally one reads war accounts from the POV of a military officer separated from the actual combat and situation on the ground. Even so, we rarely get an account from the normal everyday people enduring the hardships of something like a military occupation. I think Holocaust memoirs may be the only exception. I may have to get a book related to some of the battles in this war, as the history seems very interesting for something most seem to have completely forgotten about. Over here, we had the Invasion of Grenada, another war that I never hear anyone discuss – maybe that will be another topic to look into. Pen and Sword once again delivers an interesting history book on a topic you don’t see too often – great work as always!

NetGalley, Stephen Kelley

As featured in:

Carlisle Living

As featured in: 'The War from Our End of the Street'

Cumbria Life

As featured in Carlisle Living

Carlisle Living

Two frontline workers share their experiences of occupation by the Argentine forces and their liberation by British forces in the Falklands War. A riveting read.

Books Monthly

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

It’s hard to believe that it is almost 40 years since the Falklands conflict, something I remember being in the news & yet I was slightly too young to really understand it. I was almost the same age as Rachel Bennett, a young girl who lived in Stanley in 1982, with her sister Isobel & her parents.
This is the story of the Bennett Family, told through the diaries of mum Valerie, a nurse at the local hospital, and dad Neville who was part of the local fireservice and general all round handyman. The diaries have been collated by Rachel, and at times her own recollections have been added which add a new dimension.

The diaries were an interesting mix of the very ordinary/mundane (eg the washing machine breaking down) and the unique insight that can only come from living through such an experience. I thoroughly enjoyed reading them, discovering the “inside story” of daily life in the Falklands from a civilian’s perspective.

The “Argies” are most definitely seen as the enemy, yet I think they have been fairly portrayed – some were unpleasant but others are described as quite pleasant and simply doing their jobs. In fact at the end of the war, there was genuine astonishment that some of the properties that had been taken over were left immaculate upon their departure.

I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to read this book & highly recommend it to anyone who remembers hearing about the conflict as it gives a really unique insight into what life was like for the ordinary people caught up in the conflict.

NetGalley, Lucy Bookworm

Rating: 5 out 5 stars

Well-written, engaging, and very interesting diary entries detailing a civilian family's perspective of the invasion of the Falkland Islands in 1982. The narrative draws the reader in and I could easily imagine and picture the events based on the authors' descriptions. This is very entertaining and I couldn't read it fast enough and didn't want to put it down. History buffs, such as myself, will find this book about a lesser-known part of history is a must read.

NetGalley, Brenda Yeager