-I APPEAL TO THE RETURNING Many of the soldiers and sallors fighting in the South Atlantic did not join up for that reason. For many youth, the armed forces seem to be the only alternative to a life on the dole. In denouncing the British war machine, do not denounce the workers in uniform. able seaman Pete Roberts D/099492 relates his experiences of previous British military action to the present situation in the South Atlantic.
WHEN 1 heard that the OCECT was sending the nav; to help set deTermInO in the South Atlantic, sounded like a sick oke. It reminded me of my own time as a member of Her Majesty's forces the Caribbean during ditlerent event: when the islanders of Anguilla stood out for. the right for their EMMIS TATO ATEl independence had Kitts Anguilla.
We were on a tour of tha Carile federas ovenThe federal government in st Kitts appea ed to the British government to intervene to re-establish presence after the populace of Anguilla, figures on the island, call TEOTICI for independence.
wwe were ACTICE TO Antigua plies and 70 paras to make take on sup then went Aid on the island. The the island The leaders of the revolt were arrested and garrison established: but then sụp:
Des colla DO he landed because Anguillan aircraft kept flying low Over the tancune strip. 33-OUTOD ship supplies CREW OF THE SHEFFIELD' socialists Ex(beer) while reinforcements flew in trom Bermuda, in the person of a squadron of British boboccupation itself met little resistance in this instance. but wnen i was on action stations during HICC for how the sailors must be experiencing things in the South Atlantic Just now This is why I felt badly for the crew when t neard that the Sheffield had been hit.
O tour on us ion o have tour hours hours off; you are confined very claustrophobically LO mP sna your clothes all the time, W VOUHEVE3eO3r air.
The BEAS HEC DULINS over the image of a highly. trained, highlv-skill lorce out tne truen is ina:
have only gonc thesc TOUL. HOLOn during practices. . The reality is chaos and panic. Only InC OFICCTS really know and everyone eise is just part of a machine, going through the motions mechanically.
One of my responsibilities was damage control. I had to stand in an anti-flash suit with a AHE OESOOU SIEINSI like a miner's helmet, The Sheffield shouting instructons and information to HQ over a microphone while the ship was blackca our and tney decided whether or not to close down WIOS CUEI partments in it even if there were men in them.
result was total chaos, even in peacetime. and I cannot imagine what it must have been like out the South Atlantic where there is no land to break up the weather.
After a certain amount or ume, ander tnat sort oi weather Since the sinking of the Sheffield and the beginning of loss of life, opinion is beginning to turn agatnst Thatcher, The popular press and television present the image of parents. proud to have sons give their lives for this crazy war. Graham Barnetson interviewed G Sutherland, the father of one of the soldiers going out to the South Atlantic on board the QE2, who gives a different view Your son is in the army and being sent to the Falklands?
He joined up becouse there was nothing doing in civvy street, He joined the Guards because that was my regiment. Is this his first posting No he'd two tours in Northern reland and just survived that bo Keping his head down.
What do you think of the crisis?
The islands have belonged to Britain for 150 years. The Argentinians are wrong should be stopped now. mediate withdrawal by both armies and negotiations through the government is going to esculate the crisis into total war. We should negotiate for Would your son agree with that?
T think so. 've only talked with him over the phone. I'm a delivery driver and won't get home till Thursday so that I won't see him before he finishes his Icave. old son?
becomes completely abominable: water everywhere, you can't pur anything down on a table, AHE MOEC WOWC DY EU be at a very, very low ebb.
I felt an immediate sympathy with the men in Belgrano too as SOOT ES CHCas LuC DuLe 1u submarine's failure to stay around to pick uD BuL vivors is a contravention of the United Nations con vention. Every sailor fecl:
immediate sympaths other sailors who have rone into the water The only way forward I can see is doing one thing. By sending ouc 1 might never see him again. Would you like to lose a 21 year and in the conditions in the South Atlantic they could have been able to survive only minutes.
Eighty per cent of the recruits to the navy don'i join to take part in battles they join for trips round the miners" lads, other prospects. Lads Trom places like Corby Scotland and Liverpoo UNC BOY HEE high would make up a high proportion of those out there. Resolutions sovereignty Council on 15 April. "This Trades war of the for Council demns the the saling of the lier to the Falklands and the sanc CLOUS ON AE CUE imperialist adventure.
It is an attempt to mainWaS STC over yoars ago The policies of this war COT CERBEECHE CEC HEILCE COB cerned with military repres SOn ATECna DOSWIA Ene BECECS the Falklands population.
The Trades Council con demns the victory tor tnat cher's RECLaICE ERLTLS therefore demand of the and the Labour leaders that they stand by the the TECORTIS SONETUENV Or ArECRunZ OVe ine raikiand Islands and cal for the recall of the British The General Belgrano just don't think they should Every Meet wil by to gei duat ULEL there is nothing worse than being used as an agent in a war wnere vou nave no mnterest it, the populace is against you number with no rights, no HL WACC COU ATeIS control: just a cog in a began to look at what we when 1 went to Africa. I had a couple of tion to the attention of Socialist Challenge readers. It was passed by Liverpool Trades ..and in Sheffield The following emergency mo tion was passed by Sheffield Trades Council at its meeting on 27 April Sheffield Trades Council con UCHU AIRa Smasn tc raikiano istands and Br attack on South Georgia.
TEnIS Trades Council recognises that Britain t00 Falklands Thus, Sheffield Trades Coun- ACCUIUEUSUIOL cil calis upon the Government Sion all preparations fo and withdraw the task force • Seck a paceful settlemen INTONA TC O CElnYCauuC.
Resolution 502.
• In any such settlement. guarantee the safety of settlers and offe right to return to Britain witt black friends on board and W.LT wasn't even sure if 1 could speak to them or be seen wi taem. Auer commg back from the Caribbean it just reinforced CHLY EIpression that the white man's role was that of an oppresso: ane mas soen o the locals as hated tyrant.
I would make a personal appeal to the returning crew of the Sheffield to think very carctully, as l have done, about they are being used for.
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Yes he is in the Scots Guards. They got sent out on board the QE2 on Te joined the army after having worked in an electrical firm.
Down with the wart Mobilise down the Tory goverment.
i The fist time 1 really The
Liverpool Trades Council calls for ending WE WOULD like to bring this excellent resolu-
The Ui 1967 called upon