No Picnic

A new edition of the classic Falklands War memoir "which many regard as the most perceptive description of the momentous events of April to June 1982" (Maritime Adviser). Major General Julian Thompson first wrote this account (previously published as No Picnic) when what happened in the spring and summer of 1982 was fresh in his mind. As Commander of 3 Commando Brigade, he was at the heart of the planning and conduct of the Falklands War. Under his direct command had been the Royal Marine Commandos and the two battalions of the Parachute Regiment who conducted the lion's share of the fighting. No one therefore is better qualified to tell the extraordinary story of their taking of the Falkland Islands from the Argentinians. The author, now a celebrated military historian, has revised his early book and added for this 25th Anniversary edition more of his own personal thoughts and impressions. It is all too easy to overlook just how perilous and risky a venture this expedition to the depths of the Southern Hemisphere was. Victory and defeat hung in the balance. Even those who feel they know about this most remarkable of wars will learn more from reading this classic account. "A fascinating perspective on the war from a key participant and a valuable insight into the mind of a field commander." —Flying in Ireland