The Silent Listener: British Electronic Surveillance: Falklands 1982

by D.J. Thorp

On April 2, 1982, Argentina launched Operation Rosario, the invasion of the Falklands. The British, caught off guard, responded with Operation Corporate. Deployed alongside the rest of the British Army was a small specialist intelligence unit, whose very existence was unknown to many commanders and whose activities were cloaked in the Official Secrets Act. Trained during the years of the Cold War, the OC of the unit, D.J. Thorp, was tasked with providing electronic warfare support—interception of Argentinean electronic and radio signals—allowing the British to be in real time receipt of enemy plans long before execution. For the first time in print, The Silent Listener confirms the existence and role of the Special Task Detachment during Operation Corporate and provides details of the deployment and operational role of a dedicated ground based electronic warfare (EW) weapons facility. It also details the development of electronic warfare during the Cold War period, including the establishment of a communications intercept site on East Island following the cessation of hostilities in the Falklands, and D.J. Thorp's top secret role in the investigation into the sinking of ARA General Belgrano.

Genres: Military Fiction

192 pages, Hardcover

First published July 31, 2011

Reviews

[Tobias · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an exceptional book and should be required reading for anyone interested in the subject, as well as military commanders, of all ranks. The author has an unusually direct and humourless style, which can be slightly off-putting, but the content and detail are unrivalled.

[Eirik Wilberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read, could use better editing.

[Stephen Curran · Rating 3 out of 5]

being a radio guy I was hoping for more radio details

[Jesper Jorgensen · Rating 2 out of 5]

It may not be a 'hype' subject but for me this book was a small 'eye opener' of sorts. It's not only 'spooks' and the like who collects information, naturally. Intelligence is also collected in the battlefield by specialized units via SigInt and other sources. And is undoubtedly very important to any battlefield commander. And as I am currently in a 'Read about the Falkland War' mode this book fell in well.

But something in the narrative somehow irks me. The author leaves the impression of being a bit stiff and priggish in a war of flexibility, can-do attitudes and makeshift solutions. And a bit righteous in some of the tales he relates. But that may just be me.

Bottom line: Two stars is what this book gets from me

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

At last a book about electronic warfare written by someone who knows what they are talking about.
This book is excellent. It tells of the period from the end of the Cold war upto the Falklands & will be of interest to anyone interested in Electronic warfare, modern military history or radio.