29 Nov 2009 Sleepless Margaret Thatcher 'stayed up for entire Falklands War'

[Watchman]

Sleepless Margaret Thatcher 'stayed up for entire Falklands War'


What a Woman ? Compare with today's idiots like Gordon Brown !
By Simon Walters
Last updated at 12:56 AM on 29th November 2009



Nightwatch: Former PM Margaret Thatcher stayed awake all night listening to news from the war

Margaret Thatcher stayed up all night in her Downing Street flat throughout the three months of the Falklands War and never changed into her bedclothes, it has been revealed.

She sat fully dressed, huddled round a two-bar electric fire, nervously listening to the radio for news of the conflict, nursing a glass of whisky while husband Denis slept in the spare room.

Baroness Thatcher survived by taking 20-minute catnaps - a 'zizz', she called it - in the day and catching up on sleep at weekends at Chequers.

The extraordinary account was disclosed when she returned to No10 last week to unveil a portrait of her commissioned by Gordon Brown.

Her ability to survive on four hours' sleep has long been the stuff of Tory legend. But she took it to a new extreme in the war with Argentina in 1982, said her former personal assistant Cynthia 'Crawfie' Crawford.

Mrs Crawford, who was at the unveiling, said she moved into the tiny No10 flat to keep Lady Thatcher company in her all-night vigils.

'She did not once change into her nightclothes in the flat for the duration of the war,' said Mrs Crawford.

'We would sit in the flat listening to the BBC World Service for news of the task force. She couldn't sleep because she wanted to be ready in case anything happened.


More...
Britain to host Afghanistan summit in January which will set out exit strategy for troops
Iraq has spent $85million on 'useless' bomb detectors made in Britain
Christmas post faces new strike as secret letter reveals union's latest threat


'She wanted to be able to go to any briefings with the Naval commanders at any time without the fuss and bother of having to get dressed.

'She also wanted to know everything that was happening, every single detail, so she could keep on top of events. She had to know how the soldiers, sailors and airmen were getting on.

'She was so worried about them. It was awful when we heard any reports of our ships being hit. Her determination and powers of endurance were unbelievable.'

Mrs Crawford said she sat with Lady Thatcher through the long nights of the war from April to June.



HMS Sheffield was sunk by an Argentinian missile

'Denis was in the room next door,' she said. 'The two of us would sit in armchairs either side of a two-bar electric fire, listening to the radio.

'It was cold - the heating would go off at around 11 each evening. We got through it fortified by the occasional glass of whisky.

'I used to prefer gin and tonic, but she told me I couldn't possibly drink that at night. Whisky was much better for energy, she said. I became quite addicted to whisky and soda.

'I taught her to catnap for 20 minutes - we called that a zizz. She would have a few zizzes in the night, then take another in the afternoon. She kept to the habit for ever afterwards. She managed to get a bit more sleep at Chequers at weekends.'

Mrs Crawford said Lady Thatcher left the flat at 8am each day to attend military briefings for an update of events during the night and to discuss the next part of the campaign.

That could mean a 30-minute drive to the Naval Operations Room, an underground Nato bunker at Northwood, Middlesex. 'I would take advantage of that and jump into bed at the flat so I could get some sleep,' said Mrs Crawford.

'I'd tell the Downing Street switchboard to wake me when she was on her way back so I could be ready for work. We don't all have her energy.'

A total of 255 British Servicemen died in the war, which started when Argentine dictator General Galtieri seized the islands. Four British warships, HMS Sheffield, HMS Ardent, HMS Antelope and HMS Coventry, were destroyed as well as a merchant ship, the Atlantic Conveyor. More than 700 Argentines died.

Mrs Crawford added: 'General Galtieri was lucky he never met her face-to-face - she would soon have put him right.'

 

[makapaaa]

If one could recall, Ass Loon claimed that he leeports to work at 11 am in a leeport years ago.

 

[nickers9]

If one could recall, Ass Loon claimed that he leeports to work at 11 am in a leeport years ago.

You dont know my working hours? Let me tell you all so that you all can envy me.

11am - Reached office

11am to 1130am - Read newspapers

1130am to 12pm - Read some document and signed some papers

12pm to 2pm - Lunch Time

2pm to 3pm - Read some document and surfed internet(especially sammyboy.com and want to know what Singaporeans are talking about presently.)

3pm to 345pm - Tea Break

345pm to 445pm - Read some more documents and signed some more papers

445pm to 5pm - Stand by to knock off.

5pm - Out from the office.

If I am bored with my job, I'll asked S. Dhanabalan to come to my office so that I can slapped him left and right to create some joy in the job.

So isnt my job the best job in this world? Working 3 hours a day, and happy happy can slap somebody, you cannot find any job like this in the world. Jealous about my job right? Go get a life you stupid morons, who asked you your daddy is not Lee Kuan Yew.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

 

[cooleo]

If one could recall, Ass Loon claimed that he leeports to work at 11 am in a leeport years ago.

He reminds me of the part-timer in my office.