Review of the First Casualty - the Untold Story of the Falklands War

The First Casualty is a sensationalist account of the opening salvo of the Falklands war on 2nd April 1982 – the defence of the islands by the resident garrison, Royal Marines Naval Party NP8901. Author Ricky Phillips tells the tale of that momentous first 24 hours from accounts on three sides – the Royal Marines, the Argentine invaders and the islanders. He has drawn the information from previous accounts, private diaries and personal interviews with those who were there. It is the most comprehensive narrative of the battle ever published. The gripping accounts allow the reader to move step by step with the defenders and attackers, and are filled with tension, anxiety and humour. And courage. 

Ricky’s opening premise is that the Royal Marines action has been – at best – dismissed as a token defence and – at worst – smeared with accusations of cowardice. As someone who lived through the daily TV and newspaper reports and has since studied the conflict in some detail, I don’t share that view. Nor do I think it is shared by anyone who has even the basic knowledge of events. The robust defence of Stanley was in the finest tradition of not just the Royal Marines, but in the history of the British armed forces. But I do accept that books on the conflict tend to focus on the retaking and by default the defence has often been relegated to a few brief lines. But the Marines of NP8901 do feel their story has been overlooked and now it has been told in detail. 

Sensationalism aside, Ricky has drawn together a number of fascinating issues which he has put under the microscope. Without spoiling the surprise for any future reader, the investigation of Argentine casualties, equipment, and mystery figures are well worth reading. It is clear from the accounts of the British and Argentine veterans is that there are two, or even three, sides to every story. Rather than complicate the narrative Ricky has sensibly deferred an examination of conflicting accounts to the Appendices. Also included is the first published nominal roll of all the defenders. The volunteers of the Falkland Islands Defence Force have also previously been the subject of some unkind comments. Ricky points out that the Marines appropriated some of the weapons in the FIDF’s armoury, reducing their combat effectiveness if called upon to fight.

The First Casualty has been self-published and I applaud Ricky for his efforts and convictions. Sometimes his passions run away with him and the same point is often made several times. A good Editor could have improved some passages. The chapters would also have benefited from sub-headings to break up the blocks of text. The book includes some previously unseen photographs but – bizarrely – one of the potentially most important is relegated to the bottom of the inside back cover. I feel that the images could have been expanded to include some group photos of the detachments. Additionally Ricky alludes to other publicly available images which provide critical support to his story but have not been included. Hopefully this could be rectified for a revised edition.

In summary this is a book that every serious student of the Falklands conflict should read. It is a book which I would love to have written if I had Ricky’s tenacity, commitment and willingness to gamble a year of my life on unpaid research. The men of NP8901 will go down in the annals of the history of the Royal Marines and this book will ensure that their story continues to be told. Bravo Zulu.