My Friends, The Enemy: Life in Military Intelligence During the Falklands War

by Nick Van Der Bijl

My Friends, The Enemy recounts the Falklands War from the viewpoint of the only Intelligence Corps serving with Intelligence Section, HQ 3 Commando Brigade. It is a personal account supported by intelligence comment assembled since 1982. Although Nick van der Bijl was a Staff Sergeant, his role, as part of the Intelligence Corps, meant that he was expected to provide expert intelligence to Brigade Headquarters about the Argentines. The fact that initially he knew nothing about them meant that he was very heavily involved in collecting and collating that intelligence from a variety of sources, including information from UK and after landing documents, prisoners of war and local people. The intelligence proved to be very accurate throughout the campaign. Controversially, the intelligence provided to 2nd Parachute Battalion at Goose Green was largely rejected in favor of less accurate information supplied by the SAS. Van der Bijl was one of the first into Port Stanley after the Argentine surrender and was part of an intelligence operation to search enemy HQs for documents, select several hundred Argentine officers for further interrogation before repatriation and interview several civilians as part of a counter-intelligence operation. My Friends, The Enemy is the first time that intelligence operations has been told by a prime witness to events from the start of the campaign to the finish.

304 pages, Hardcover

Published February 15, 2020

Reviews

[Andrew Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

A howler of a spelling error in the opening pages didn't fill me with confidence in this book. To be fair, it was all readable and mildly interesting. But it never became a gripping or remotely fascinating read. Parts of it read like a rather turgid intelligence report. Plenty of detail on types and numbers of weapons, and the composition of battlefield forces, but lacking in the rich emotional tapestry that really grips a reader. How was the author feeling? How was he affected by what he saw? We have very little of that. The book almost felt like an attempt to justify the author's role in the war, or at least the role of his Corps. He came across as a frustrated individual, searching for something substantive and truly influential but which was never found. The interrogation of POWs is dealt with at length but what did it achieve? Little is disclosed about that. One is bound to conclude, fairly or unfairly, that intelligence that was gained was limited in scope or in terms of practical benefit. He scuttles from one location to another, seemingly on the fringes, and always searching for something. That thing appears to remain elusive.

I think my criticism of the book is primarily directed at its style. I am sure the author contributed far more than the pages of this rather clunky and insipid book reveal. It is a pity that the book does not do more justice to the author.

[Matthew A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some GREAT insights regarding tactical/operational intelligence in the Falklands War. Lacked some citations for further research, however. Relatively smooth reading that stayed on point and covered relevant topics.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice to see a recent conflict from the perspective of the Bde Intelligence staff. Covers all expected angles of tactical intelligence - collection plans, PIRs, captured documents, PWs.

[Chaz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good but nothing crazy