Rick Jolly

Surgeon-Captain Richard Jolly OBE is a former Royal Navy medical officer who served in the 1982 Falklands War and was later decorated by both the British and Argentine governments for his distinguished conduct during the conflict. He still practises and gives lectures to medical establishments on his experiences. He is a co-founder, with Denzil Connick, of the South Atlantic Medal Association formed in 1997.

Jolly was educated at Stonyhurst College and subsequently studied Medicine at St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College (now Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry) in London and qualified as a physician in 1969. It was while working as a houseman, a senior colleague suggested he join the Royal Naval Reserve as a Royal Navy doctor.

He became medical officer to 42 Commando RM, who were deployed in Belfast along with men of the 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment, with whom he built a strong friendship.

In 24 years of service he completed two tours with the Fleet Air Arm as a Fleet Surgeon, Medical Officer recruitment / Officer training in the Dartmouth Training Ship HMS Bristol, and at the Britannia Royal Naval College.

Falklands War

As Officer Commanding Medical Squadron of the Commando Logistic Regiment Royal Marines, Jolly was Senior Medical Officer of 3 Commando Brigade RM and commanded the field hospital at Ajax Bay.

The facilities at Ajax Bay were set up in an old refrigeration plant which was situated next to an ammunition dump, as those were the only roofed buildings available of any size fit for purpose. Therefore, due to its position, Brigadier Julian Thompson ordered they were not to paint a Red Cross on the buildings to highlight the hospital due to the terms of the Geneva Convention. The conditions in the field hospital were poor and despite the dirt, poor lighting, air attacks and the presence of two unexploded bombs, only 3 of the 580 British soldiers and marines wounded in action were to die of their wounds and none while under the care of Dr Jolly.

Post War

Jolly wrote the book The Red and Green Life Machine about his experiences. and he is the only serviceman to be decorated by both sides after the conflict, being awarded an OBE (Military Division) from the UK and the Orden de Mayo (Order of May) - awarded to "foreigners who distinguish themselves by service or personal achievement, or who have gained the nation's gratitude" - from Argentina.

When visiting Argentina in 1998, Jolly had sent ahead a list of Argentine casualties and asked the authorities there what had become of them. As a result, the Argentine Foreign Ministry discovered the truth about the battlefield medical care of their wounded by the British during the conflict and invited over fifty of them to a ceremony in Buenos Aires, where Dr Jolly was appointed as an Oficial (Officer) in the Order of May in recognition of his outstanding work in saving the lives of many wounded Argentine soldiers and airmen.

Being a foreign decoration, Jolly had to write to Her Majesty the Queen for permission to wear his Order of May award with his other medals, to which she personally authorised him to wear the award "on all occasions" on behalf of the three hundred British Naval, Royal Marines and Army medics involved in the war.

Jolly also featured and was extensively interviewed in the TV documentary Falklands Combat Medics, which concentrated primarily on the work and role played by the Field Hospital based at Ajax Bay.

With Denzil Connick, he campaigns for the recognition of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder for all Falkland veterans in aid of the South Atlantic Medal Association.

Written Work

Jolly is the author of the authoritative tome Jackspeak: A Guide to British Naval Slang and Usage.

and his first book; For Campaign Service detailing the experience of soldiers and Royal Marines who served in Northern Ireland. The book takes its title and cover image from the General Service Medal (1962) issued to UK military.