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Friendly Fire Sunday 23 May, 1982 - 2 days after the landing of British troops in response the Argentinian invasion, Falkland islander Tim Miller was waiting for the news on the radio when when the news 'happened' outside his door.... Tim was not expecting to see much of the action. He's a farmer living in an area remote even by local standards, but there was an air strip nearby that British Intelligence suspected of being used by occupying forces.
Peter Squire is now Air Chief Marshall Sir Peter Squire but at the time was Wing Commander of a flight of Harrier jets which had been dispatched from HMS Hermes to destroy the landing strip. As his pilots dropped their bombs on the strip, Tim Miller was just coming out of his house to see what on earth was going on. One of the Harriers flying close above him dropped a bomb which missed the targeted runway. A shed took the brunt of the blast but a piece of shrapnel flew into his eye and got embedded in the bone behind, blinding him.
Tim felt 'surprised and bewildered' that the airstrip had been destroyed when the nearest Argentinians were - as far as he knew - 40 miles away. But he wasn't angry. In fact Tim wrote a letter saying that he held no grudge, but thought he was perhaps owed a few drinks.
After the conflict was over, the pilot who had dropped the bomb went back and helped repair the sheds. He became good friends with Tim, to such an extent that they were 'Best man' at each others weddings. Years later Peter Squire and his wife were among commanders and veterans invited back for the Tenth Anniversary. Tim and his wife put them up, and gave them 'unmerciful stick' and they too became good friends. Tim's first words were to the effect that they had met before 'albeit briefly'.
Tim is astonishingly free of bitterness. But the terminology 'friendly fire' does stick in his throat. As he says 'It doesn't feel friendly when its coming down on you'.
More information:
The Falkland Islands official website
RAF Harrier Game (requires flash)
The Centre for the Partially Sighted
Friendship borne out of adversity?
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