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In Review

21 November 2008 19:54 BST

Sink the Belgrano by Mike Rossiter

Published by Bantam Press, out June 4th, 352 pages.

In a nutshell…

An ambitious and individual take on recent history.

What's it all about?

As events in the south Atlantic gather pace, and with Argentinian troops landing on disputed soil, the submarine HMS Conqueror is told to "store for war" and head to the Falklands to bolster the British forces in the region.

This book examines events leading up to the sinking of the Argentine ship the General Belgrano, taking in the tactics of the "piratical" submarine force, the in-fighting of military top brass and the larger war effort for the islands on the way.

Who's it by?

Mike Rossiter is both an author and independent filmmaker from north London. The latter role has seen him capture events such as the recovery of the body of Donald Campbell and his jet boat, Bluebird, from Coniston Water, and has garnered nominations for both Emmy and Bafta awards. He also filmed the recovery of the ship Ark Royal, later expanding on his research on the vessel in a book of the same name.

As an example…

"The situation was rapidly escalating, with both sides giving public warnings and the British fleet steadily approaching the Malvinas. The threat of war was growing, and the crew were beginning to feel it. As the Belgrano reached the open sea and headed for the rendezvous with the two destroyers, there were few on the Belgrano who had any illusions left about what they were heading into."

Likelihood of becoming a Hollywood blockbuster

Filmmakers the world over have proven the enduring appeal of naval derring-do, but whether this might sail to victory like Hunt for the Red October or end up dead in the water, Under Siege–style, is hard to call. This has all the hallmarks of the plot-driven documentary, and Rossiter's pedigree as a filmmaker could up the chances of an appearance on the big or small screen in the future.

So is it any good?

Rossiter sets himself a stern task when he attempts to encapsulate an entire political climate, its historical context and personal accounts of a conflict in a single text – with varying degrees of success.

The most engaging sections of this book are the testimonies of crewmembers aboard the submarine Conqueror and the Argentinian ship Belgrano, but these have a tendency to become drowned by logistics and explanations of swathes of history. Rossiter doesn't seem to be clear on who his intended audience is, and explains some themes in extensive detail - such as the Special Boat Service - while assuming prior knowledge of others, for example the Peronist regime.

However, his enthusiasm and ability to communicate the complexity and chaos of war easily maintains audience engagement.

6/10

Mike Haines