Scimitar into Stanley

In May 1982, Captain Roger Field, The Blues and Royals, attached to HQ 5th Infantry Brigade, sailed on the Queen Elizabeth 2 as part of the second wave to liberate the Falkland Islands. Surprised by what he saw at Brigade HQ he started writing a diary. His journey took him to Fitzroy as the Argentinean aircraft struck the landing ships Sir Galahad and Sir Tristram. A chance meeting led to him joining the Commanding Officer of 2 Para for the Battle of Wireless Ridge.

When the Paras lost the commander of one of their four The Blues and Royals armoured cars part way through the battle Roger took command of that Scimitar. He fought the rest of the battle from the turret. Next day his Scimitar was at the very tip of the spear as 2 Para and The Blues and Royals led the victorious charge into Port Stanley; Max Hastings hanging onto the back of his vehicle. 'Revisionist' in places and always refreshingly candid, this account is unique as it describes the War from the viewpoint of a staff officer, infanteer and armoured vehicle commander. A gripping read.

About the Author

Roger Field was commissioned into The Blues and Royals in 1974 and served for 10 years. He saw action in the Falklands War - the subject of this memoir. Advised that, to reach high command, he must take life more seriously, he did just that and resigned to qualify as a lawyer working in the newspaper, TV, magazine and book publishing industries. He currently specialises in media law at New Media Law LLP. For the past 30 years he has written for national newspapers and magazines, including The Times, the Daily and Sunday Telegraph, Country Life, Apollo Magazine and a monthly antiques column for The Field. He co-wrote Rogue Male: Sabotage and Seduction Behind German Lines with Geoffrey Gordon-Creed DSO, MC and is the 'secret' co-writer of a Sunday Times military bestseller. He runs his own literary agency.

35 b/w illustrations