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Part two of the uncensored diary of our man with the Fleet, Patrick Spilling. Monday: Peace plan is scuppered. Plan to drop warning nuke on little inhabited island (1,500 only), 800 miles from Argentina called off. Thatcher demands sovereignty over fragments and Peter Scott Trust discovers colony of 50,000 penguins. Blue Peter raised £11 million in three days to buy Ark Kuyal launch «third force' to rescue penguins.

Captain imposes strict censorship on fact he loosed off half Fleet's rockets in premature celebration. Three dead seagulls granted Argentine nationality after captain uses powers to marry them to reluctant sailors. Write glowing account of how three Argentines shot down in air battle. Invited to sit at Captain's table. write 1.L1another piece on 'marriages of convenience' wrecking immigration laws. Sailors ostracised after claiming compensation for loss of companionship' of dead seagulls.

Tues: Glowing with pride! My piece Whose side are •cau ant, ie the trast of the ship. As I put it: «We are fighting so British people can be free. Anyone who says different should be put up against the wall and shot." Named Benn as Coward of the Year" . Paper plans to issue white feathers free with next issue. Considering a piece on what a statesman Michael Foot has become. Editor was a bit worried by Foot saying he was "inveterate peace monger" . I knew he didn't mean it.

Wednesday: Wrestling with conscience: Taking late night walk on deck when spotted commotion in swimming pool. Diver with periscope tied to his back practicing surfacing and diving. Watched with interest from shadows. Realised with shock that this was man who had blockaded Falkland Islands: British subs never arriveu 21lC1 after Americane refused to send spares. Should I tell world?

Thursday: Prince Andrew helicopter pilot ora. neighbouring ship. Watched him flying around boat and landing on deck. Wrote piece about long: tradition of British royal family leading troons into battle. How talent showed in every member of royal family. Compared Prince Andrew in his chopper to Princess Anne on her horse. Prince. Andrew grounded while truth of this is investigated.

Friday: Crossed the equator today: Had a small celebration with the ship's rum ration. Ship's doctor dressed up as Neptune squirted us all with shaving foam. Having great time until he squirted SAS squad who were practicing shouting • obscenities from the bridge.

Moments later doctor lay dead on deck, riddled with bullets. Thought it rather spoiled the show but must keep morale up so wrote 500 words on how SAS keen for action. Wanted to bury doctor over side, but marines UNLINALO practicing bayonet drill on him. Ship's padre said simple sermon over corpse on theme of physician heal thyself. Message arrived from Archbishop of Canterbury. God on our side. Roman Catholic God on their side. Wrote piece for religious page 'Let's for the Prods!'.

Saturday: Captain called press conference to deny rumours that nuclear weapons on board. Also banned press from visiting E deck. Passed Ascencion Islands today. Captain in jocular vein said they were aptly named or would be when he had finished with them. Asked him what he meant but he only laughed and asked whether I liked mushrooms. Wonder it the strain is getting to him. Sunday: Got up early as 1 had to send an end of week 5,000 word special. The whole Fleet has come together and it was a grand sight as the dawn came up. Out of the mist loomed cross channel Townsend Thoresen steamer requisitioned to carry the Fleet's duty free. Wallowing slightly in Atlantic swell but on deck most fearsome sight. School party had no time to get home before boat pressed into service. Gave us broadside of empty vodka bottles as they passed singing something to lune of 'Rule Britannia'. Didn't recognise words, though. Carver remarks, "a very large proportion of the ablebodied Kikuyu male population who were not actively supporting the government ...or... in gangs in the forest, were languishing in detention camps" - (The Kikuyu were the tribe mainly involved in the revolt).

Despite a great outcry about "Mau Mau atrocities', just 32 European civilians were killed by the rebels.

But after the fiasco of Britain's invasion in 1956, when the Suez Canal was warfare. The local elected ministers were sacked, PSP leaders were arrested, newspapers were banned, and the SÁS tried to promote conflict between rival nationalist groups. Amnesty International protested about Britain's treatment of prisoners - "The use of similar methods in Northern Ireland in 1971". , Carver comments, "was to cause rather more fuss"

The strong-arm methods were in vain. In June 1967 Walker of Borneo. And the Irish war has trained a breed of top officers like Frank Kitson, oriented to 'counterinsurgency'.

• The British army, whereever it is sent, is a thoroughly and dangerously reactionary force.

It is not about to conquer Argentina. It probably does not even have the strength to hold the Falklands as an outpost. But its arrival in the South Atlantic can promise no good.

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Socialist Organiser no.81 April 2: 198: Fare 3