Customer Reviews

The Red and Green Life Machine: Diary of the Falklands Field Hospital

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Having spent the night in the refrigeration plant at Ajax bay (post 82), reading this book brings home the horrors of war. I read this book some eight years ago but it still sticks in my memory, the UXB and the EOD officer that slept with it, the death of people he knew, the compasion shown to Argentinian casualties also the British press trying to get photographs of our dead heros. Rick Jolly a unsung hero of our time.

I read the book a year before I left for Desert Storm. Our military can learn from the Brits. Many of our leaders suffer from CRS and NIH-Not invented here. Doctor Jolly and his men did an outstanding job. The photos in the book were fantastic.

Jolly ranks with Nick Vaux, Royal Marines in his first person style of reporting. Not professional authors, but men retelling their stories.

Having served with the RAF in'87 REFORGER, this book makes my appreciation for the British stronger. Okay, they made mistakes down there, show me a flawless operation. Can't? See, I told you.

I met Rick Jolly during the Falklands war and have some knowledge of the goings on of the medical teams during the conflict. I believe this book to be a factual account of the events that took place, the authors style does not really convey the emotion of the whole affair. It is written in a very "matter-of-fact" manner. The real story is of course the men behind the facts and sadly this treasure is skimmed over. Overall it is a good read and although I read it some 18 years after having been there it made it all seem like yesterday. I particularly remember the author on during the "walk" across Ascension Island, borrowing an SLR to pose for a photo with some of the boys. He said and I quote "I want to look mean"....this for me sums up Rick Jolly pretty well. Credit to him he came out very well and of course in one piece.