No picnic: 3 Commando Brigade in the South Atlantic, 1982 [Hardcover]

Julian Thompson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1985

Of course, fighting a war is always difficult--but when you're conducting an amphibious campaign over 8,000 miles from home, the task becomes Herculean. Such were the circumstances in the Falklands in 1982 where, in the unforgiving climate of the South Atlantic, the outnumbered British struggled to defeat Argentina's troops. Written by the commander of England's land forces there, this first major account of the war reveals the frustrations, hardships, and ultimately the success of a campaign regarded by many as a mission impossible.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Julian Thompson was born in Calcutta and joined the Royal Marines a month after his eighteenth birthday. He was commanding 3 Commando Brigade when they carried out the initial landings to repossess the Falkland Islands. He is a graduate of the British Army Staff College and of the Royal College of the Defence Studies. Now retired, Julian Thompson devotes a great deal of time to the study and writing of military history. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 201 pages
• Publisher: L. Cooper in association with Secker & Warburg; 1st ed edition (1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0436520524
• ISBN-13: 978-0436520525
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,490,450 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars "Boast and Brag"? No..., December 12, 2002

By 

"top_cat1980" (United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: No Picnic (Paperback)

This book is an excellent and readable memoir that anybody with an interest in the Falklands War, or in the Royal Marines, would be well advised to read. It is an easy read, but this doesn't detract from the fact that it is a serious piece of work that will hopefully have enduring value.

A previous reviewer describes the book as "boast and brag" and "accusations and self defence". Any member of the British defence community will tell you that the words "boast and brag" and Major-General Thompson are entirely incompatible. You will find no self-justification here and a refreshing lack of inflated ego.

4.0 out of 5 stars In the Peat!, June 4, 2002

By 

"marineophile" (Las Vegas, NV United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: No Picnic (Paperback)

I really enjoyed this book and could not put it down. The author was frank in his criticisms and flowing in his praise. I thought the descriptions of the tactical battles from the brigade commander's perspective were fascinating. The diagrams of 3 Commando Brigade's major battles were invaluable in digesting the detailed narrative and fully appreciating the enormity of the Brigade's mission. The professionalism and proficiency of this storied unit is given it's just due on these 159 pages. I think the true legacy of this text for me was how it has ignited a curiousity in me to read more about The Battle of the Falklands. Would like to know if there is a companion book out there from the Argentine infantryman's perspective that would shed some light on their actions.

5.0 out of 5 stars Good flowing account, June 4, 2002

By 

Carter A. Malkasian (Huntington Beach, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: No Picnic (Paperback)

Julian Thompson's NO PICNIC is an easy to read yet informative account of the 1982 Falklands War. Julian Thompson commanded the 3rd Commando Brigade, the initial assault force, during the Falklands War. From that perspective, he provides a history of the war. Unsurprisingly, the book focuses on the ground aspects, rather than the sea or air aspects of the war. All of the major ground battles are described. Moreover, Thompson gives in-depth insight into the operational level decisionmaking of the war. The book has a scholarly flavor because of Thompson's access to his own correspondence, assessments, and operational reports. In general, NO PICNIC is an instructive account of ground operations in modern warfare.