Fortress Falklands by Graham Bound

Author:Graham Bound
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781781594087
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Published: 2012-11-26T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 13

Manning the Ramparts

I had been making a point of ringing Media Operations at Mount Pleasant regularly to see if they had received any suggestion from London that I could be given so much as the time of day at the base. I had left a decent few days between each call, but so far nothing had been offered. What was more, I was starting to believe that nothing would be. On each occasion that I called, I sounded a little more pathetic and desperate. I thought the ignominy of the amateur dramatics would be fleeting and the possible prize considerable, so I laid it on heavily.

I had also asked my friendly members of the Legislative Assembly, Jan Cheek and Dick Sawle, to call Captain Christine Wilson and advise her that they thought I should be hosted in some way. ‘After all,’ one of the Assembly Members kindly pointed out, ‘they speak to foreign journalists, so why shouldn’t they talk to one of ours?’

I liked that logic, but, although I know they called Media Ops, it did not seem to make any difference. During my last conversation with the friendly but unhelpful captain, she had shared with me that someone at Ministry of Defence in London had been ‘doing a lot of chest poking’ with the Brigadier. But still no green light had flashed. However, I could take it for granted that an interview with the Commander British Forces was not going to happen. If I received any hospitality, it would take the form of a tour of the base.

I felt she was embarrassed, which was probably why she pointed out that there was a lot of ‘open source’ information available about the Falklands defences – intelligence-speak for trawling the Internet and reading the local rags. That I knew, and I certainly would be making use of it. Furthermore, I would be talking to people outside the Ministry of Defence and the military who knew about the defences. But nothing could fully replace seeing the things with one’s own eyes and talking to the people who scan the horizon with radars and binoculars. I thanked Christine ‘so much’, said that ‘anything she could do would be just marvellous,’ and reminded her of my mobile phone number.

Nothing appeared to be making any difference. I had received another email from the Brigadier, which was interesting and sympathetic in tone, but negative. He wrote:

I am afraid that this is taking longer than I had hoped. The question of what media (in the broadest sense) we can do over FI issues is a hot topic at present. The question is with the policy people at a high level and we will get back to you as soon as we can. I would caution that the subject matter you propose has raised some concerns.

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