Argentine Military Cemetery
Encyclopedia
The Argentine Military Cemetery, (Darwin Cemetery), is a military cemetery on East Falkland
that holds the remains of 237 Argentine combatant
s killed during the 1982 Falklands War
( ). It is located west of the Darwin Settlement close to the location of the Battle of Goose Green
.
After the conflict the United Kingdom
offered to send the bodies back to Argentina
, but Argentina refused, knowing that the remains would ensure a continuing Argentine presence on the islands.
Many of the bodies collected were without dog-tags
, so best efforts were made to identify each soldier from personal effects found on the body. Single items were not be considered conclusive, but collections were. All were given a Christian burial
with full military honours
. Each grave is marked by a white wooden cross with the name of the soldier on it, if known but 123 of the crosses simply state "Soldado Argentino Solo Conocido Por Dios’". (An Argentine Soldier Known Unto God). Conscious of the sensitivities of the Islanders, wooden crosses were employed, rather than headstone
s, as this would have implied permanence.
Up until 2004 the cemetery was surrounded by a small white picket fence. The plot is now protected by a walled enclosure with a cenotaph including an image of Argentina’s patron saint, the Virgen del Lujan
. Surrounding the graves, the names of the 649 Argentine soldiers, sailors and airmen who lost their lives in the conflict, are inscribed on glass plaques, with no indication of military rank or service, as requested by their families.
Since the end of the conflict the bodies of three more Argentine Pilots have been interred:
On 9 November 2002 Prince Andrew
, himself a Falklands War Veteran, made a point visiting the Argentine cemetery and laid a wreath
.
During the visit the Prince said, "I lost friends and colleagues and I know what it must be like for the great many Argentines who have shared the same experience."
Since the UK Argentine joint statement on 14 July 1999 Argentine families are responsible for the cemetery's upkeep and in 2007, Sebastien Socodo, an Argentine married a Falkland Islander, was employed to do the job of cemetery maintenance. Love bridges Falklands divide
There is a replica of the Cemetery at Berazategui
In total 649 Argentines were killed during the 74 days of the conflict.
237 are buried at the Darwin Cemetery.
7 are known to be in other places:
16 died on the continent:
66 were lost with their aircraft or ships and their remains not recovered:
East Falkland
East Falkland the largest of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic, has an area of and a coastline long. Most of the population of the Falklands live in East Falkland, almost all of them living in the northern half of the island...
that holds the remains of 237 Argentine combatant
Combatant
A combatant is someone who takes a direct part in the hostilities of an armed conflict. If a combatant follows the law of war, then they are considered a privileged combatant, and upon capture they qualify as a prisoner of war under the Third Geneva Convention...
s killed during the 1982 Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
( ). It is located west of the Darwin Settlement close to the location of the Battle of Goose Green
Battle of Goose Green
The Battle of Goose Green was an engagement of the Falklands War between British and Argentine forces. Goose Green and its neighbour Darwin are settlements on East Falkland in the Falkland Islands. They lie on Choiseul Sound on the east side of the island's central isthmus...
.
After the conflict the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
offered to send the bodies back to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, but Argentina refused, knowing that the remains would ensure a continuing Argentine presence on the islands.
History
In December 1982 the British Government commissioned a firm of civilian undertakers to consolidate all of the temporary Argentine graves on the Islands to a single location. Assisted by the armed forces, they identified each Argentine grave site and brought the bodies to Port Darwin. At the time this was the largest single Argentine grave site, with the bodies of the 47 Argentine soldiers, killed at the Battle of Goose Green and buried there soon after the battle.Many of the bodies collected were without dog-tags
Dog tag (identifier)
A dog tag is the informal name for the identification tags worn by military personnel, named such as it bears resemblance to actual dog tags. The tag is primarily used for the identification of dead and wounded and essential basic medical information for the treatment of the latter, such as blood...
, so best efforts were made to identify each soldier from personal effects found on the body. Single items were not be considered conclusive, but collections were. All were given a Christian burial
Christian burial
A Christian burial is the burial of a deceased person with specifically Christian ecclesiastical rites; typically, in consecrated ground. Until recent times Christians generally objected to cremation, and practised inhumation almost exclusively, but this opposition has weakened, and now vanished...
with full military honours
Military funeral
A military funeral is a specially orchestrated funeral given by a country's military for a soldier, sailor, marine or airman who died in battle, a veteran, or other prominent military figures or heads of state. A military funeral may feature guards of honor, the firing of volley shots as a salute,...
. Each grave is marked by a white wooden cross with the name of the soldier on it, if known but 123 of the crosses simply state "Soldado Argentino Solo Conocido Por Dios’". (An Argentine Soldier Known Unto God). Conscious of the sensitivities of the Islanders, wooden crosses were employed, rather than headstone
Headstone
A headstone, tombstone, or gravestone is a marker, usually stone, that is placed over a grave. In most cases they have the deceased's name, date of birth, and date of death inscribed on them, along with a personal message, or prayer.- Use :...
s, as this would have implied permanence.
Up until 2004 the cemetery was surrounded by a small white picket fence. The plot is now protected by a walled enclosure with a cenotaph including an image of Argentina’s patron saint, the Virgen del Lujan
Our Lady of Luján
Our Lady of Luján is a celebrated 16th-century icon of the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ. The image, also known as the Virgin of Luján represents a famous Marian advocation. The image still exists; it is on display in the Basilica of Luján in Argentina...
. Surrounding the graves, the names of the 649 Argentine soldiers, sailors and airmen who lost their lives in the conflict, are inscribed on glass plaques, with no indication of military rank or service, as requested by their families.
Since the end of the conflict the bodies of three more Argentine Pilots have been interred:
- Capitán Jorge Osvaldo García successfully ejected from his Argentine Skyhawk after being shot down by a Sea DartSea Dart missileSea Dart or Guided Weapon System 30 is a British surface-to-air missile system designed by Hawker Siddeley Dynamics and built by British Aerospace from 1977...
surface-to-air missileSurface-to-air missileA surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
on 25 May 1982 but was not recovered from the water. His body was washed ashore in a dinghy at Golding IslandGolding IslandGolding Island is one of the Falkland Islands, just to the north of West Falkland in Keppel Sound and near Keppel and Pebble Islands. It has a complex shape, with narrow headlands and bays, and a pond in the middle....
in 1983. - Lt. Giminez, a PucaráFMA IA 58 PucaráThe FMA IA 58 Pucará is an Argentine ground-attack and counter-insurgency aircraft. It is a low-wing two-turboprop-engined all-metal monoplane with retractable landing gear, manufactured by the Fábrica Militar de Aviones.-Development:...
pilot, whose body was not found until 1986. His burial was attended by his family, the first Argentine relatives to visit the Falklands since the end of the war - Lt Jorge Casco video, another Skyhawk Pilot, who crashed in bad weather on South Jason IslandSouth Jason IslandSouth Jason is one of the Jason Islands in the north west Falkland Islands . In Spanish it is considered one of"Islas las Llaves"...
and was buried on 7 March 2009 In the case of Lt. Casco, his family requested that his remains be buried on the Falklands even after they were returned to Argentina in July 2008 for DNA testing in order to confirm identity.
On 9 November 2002 Prince Andrew
Prince Andrew, Duke of York
Prince Andrew, Duke of York KG GCVO , is the second son, and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
, himself a Falklands War Veteran, made a point visiting the Argentine cemetery and laid a wreath
Wreath
A wreath is an assortment of flowers, leaves, fruits, twigs and/or various materials that is constructed to resemble a ring. They are used typically as Christmas decorations to symbolize the coming of Christ, also known as the Advent season in Christianity. They are also used as festive headdresses...
.
During the visit the Prince said, "I lost friends and colleagues and I know what it must be like for the great many Argentines who have shared the same experience."
Since the UK Argentine joint statement on 14 July 1999 Argentine families are responsible for the cemetery's upkeep and in 2007, Sebastien Socodo, an Argentine married a Falkland Islander, was employed to do the job of cemetery maintenance. Love bridges Falklands divide
There is a replica of the Cemetery at Berazategui
Berazategui
* This page contains information about the town of Berazategui. See also Berazategui Partido for the wider neighbourhood.Berazategui is a town in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, located to the south-east of Quilmes. It is the head town of the Berazategui Partido...
Breakdown of the casualties
- Ejército ArgentinoArgentine ArmyThe Argentine Army is the land armed force branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and the senior military service of the country.- History :...
(Army) - 194 (16 officers, 35 NCOs and 143 conscript privates) - Armada de la República ArgentinaArgentine NavyThe Navy of the Argentine Republic or Armada of the Argentine Republic is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the Army and the Air Force....
(Navy) - 341 (including 321 in BelgranoARA General BelgranoThe ARA General Belgrano was an Argentine Navy light cruiser in service from 1951 until 1982. Formerly the , she saw action in the Pacific theater of World War II before being sold to Argentina. After almost 31 years of service, she was sunk during the Falklands War by the Royal Navy submarine ...
and 4 naval aviators)- IMARANaval Infantry CommandThe Argentine Marine Corps, officially Comando de la Infantería de Marina or COIM , but better known as Infantería de Marina de la Armada de la República Argentina or IMARA , is the land warfare amphibious branch of the Argentine Navy and one of its four operational commands.Argentine Marines have...
( Marines ) - 34
- IMARA
- Fuerza Aérea ArgentinaArgentine Air ForceThe Argentine Air Force is the national aviation branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic. , it had 14,606 military and 6,854 civilian staff.-History:...
(Air Force) - 55 (including 31 pilots and 14 ground crew) - Gendarmería Nacional ArgentinaArgentine National GendarmerieThe Argentine National Gendarmerie is the gendarmerie and corps of border guards of Argentina.The Argentine National Gendarmerie has a strength of 12,000....
(Border Guard) - 7 - Prefectura Naval ArgentinaArgentine Naval PrefectureThe Argentine Naval Prefecture, in Spanish Prefectura Naval Argentina or PNA, is a service of the Argentine Interior Ministry charged with protecting the country's rivers and maritime territory...
(Coast Guard) - 2 - Civilian sailors - 16
237 are buried at the Darwin Cemetery.
General Belgrano
323- By far the greatest loss of life in the war was in the sinking of the Argentine Navy cruiser ARA General BelgranoARA General BelgranoThe ARA General Belgrano was an Argentine Navy light cruiser in service from 1951 until 1982. Formerly the , she saw action in the Pacific theater of World War II before being sold to Argentina. After almost 31 years of service, she was sunk during the Falklands War by the Royal Navy submarine ...
, with 321 members of crew and 2 civilians on board at the time, with most of these going down with her.
Buried other places
- Argentine Navy Lt Carlos Benitez was killed on May 3 when he crashed with his Aermacchi MB-339Aermacchi MB-339The Aermacchi MB-339 is an Italian military trainer and light attack aircraft. It was developed as a replacement for the earlier MB-326.-Design and development:...
attempting to land at Port Stanley. He was buried at Stanley cemetery , before being re-interred at Darwin Cemetery, after the war
7 are known to be in other places:
- Argentine NavyArgentine NavyThe Navy of the Argentine Republic or Armada of the Argentine Republic is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the Army and the Air Force....
Capt. Pedro Giachino was KIAKilled in actionKilled in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
during April 2nd invasion1982 invasion of the Falkland IslandsOn 2 April 1982, Argentine forces mounted amphibious landings of the Falkland Islands . The invasion involved an initial defence force organised by the Falkland Islands' Governor Sir Rex Hunt giving command to Major Mike Norman of the Royal Marines, the landing of Lieutenant-Commander Guillermo...
in Port Stanley but buried in Mar del PlataMar del PlataMar del Plata is an Argentine city located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, south of Buenos Aires. Mar del Plata is the second largest city of Buenos Aires Province. The name "Mar del Plata" had apparently the sense of "sea of the Río de la Plata region" or "adjoining sea to the Río de la Plata"...
at his daughters request.
- During the Battle of GrytvikenInvasion of South GeorgiaThe Invasion of South Georgia , also known as the Battle of Grytviken, took place on 3 April 1982, when Argentine naval forces seized control of the east coast of South Georgia after overpowering a small group of Royal Marines at Grytviken...
at South Georgia, Navy Corporal Patricio Guanca from ARA Guerrico and two Argentine Marines conscripts Mario Almonacid and Jorge Aguila , were killed and taken back to Argentina for Burial
- Argentine Navy Petty Officer Felix Artuso, was mistakenly shot dead on April 26 in South Georgia while a Prisoner of warPrisoner of warA prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
and is buried at GrytvikenGrytvikenGrytviken is the principal settlement in the British territory of South Georgia in the South Atlantic. It was so named in 1902 by the Swedish surveyor Johan Gunnar Andersson who found old English try pots used to render seal oil at the site. It is the best harbour on the island, consisting of a...
Cemetery.
- Argentine Navy Lt Cmdr Carlos María Zubizarreta was killed in Rio Grande, Tierra del FuegoRío Grande, Tierra del Fuego-External links:* * * *...
on May 23 when his parachute did not fully open when he ejected from his A-4Q SkyhawkA-4 SkyhawkThe Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a carrier-capable ground-attack aircraft designed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The delta winged, single-engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated the A4D...
after a tyre burst on landing due to his bombs still being loaded. Ironically the plane stopped by itself and did not suffer any damage.
- Argentine Air Force captain Fernando Casado was copilot of Canberra bomber B-108 shot down on June 13. His remains were found in 1986 and held in the Stanley police station until 2008 when DNA testing confirmed his identity. He was returned to Argentina and buried at Cordoba ProvinceCórdoba Province (Argentina)Córdoba is a province of Argentina, located in the center of the country. Neighboring provinces are : Santiago del Estero, Santa Fe, Buenos Aires, La Pampa, San Luis, La Rioja and Catamarca...
in the Malvinas mausoleum of Villa Carlos PazVilla Carlos PazVilla Carlos Paz is a city in the center-north of the province of Córdoba, Argentina, in the south of the Punilla Valley, lying on the western slope of the Sierras Chicas. It has a population of about 56,000 as per the...
cemetery
16 died on the continent:
- Argentine ArmyArgentine ArmyThe Argentine Army is the land armed force branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and the senior military service of the country.- History :...
helicopter UH-1H–BF (AE-419) crash near Caleta OliviaCaleta OliviaCaleta Olivia is a city located at the northeast of the Argentine province of Santa Cruz, on the San Jorge Gulf by the Atlantic Ocean. It has a population of 36,000 inhabitants...
in PatagoniaPatagoniaPatagonia is a region located in Argentina and Chile, integrating the southernmost section of the Andes mountains to the southwest towards the Pacific ocean and from the east of the cordillera to the valleys it follows south through Colorado River towards Carmen de Patagones in the Atlantic Ocean...
on April 30 during a surveillance mission, killing the crew (Lt Marcos Fassio, Sgt Pedro Campos and Corporal Daniel Barros ) and the 7 man patrol on board.
- Argentine Army Adjutant Sergeant Alberto Antonio Sanagua (RI 24) cardiac arrest at Punta LoyolaPunta LoyolaPunta Loyola is a town and municipality in Santa Cruz Province in southern Argentina.-References:...
, Santa Cruz on May 18
- Argentine Air ForceArgentine Air ForceThe Argentine Air Force is the national aviation branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic. , it had 14,606 military and 6,854 civilian staff.-History:...
Ensign Maño Luis Valko crashed on May 24 with his PucaráFMA IA 58 PucaráThe FMA IA 58 Pucará is an Argentine ground-attack and counter-insurgency aircraft. It is a low-wing two-turboprop-engined all-metal monoplane with retractable landing gear, manufactured by the Fábrica Militar de Aviones.-Development:...
while undertaking a reconnaissanceReconnaissanceReconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
sortieSortieSortie is a term for deployment or dispatch of one military unit, be it an aircraft, ship, or troops from a strongpoint. The sortie, whether by one or more aircraft or vessels, usually has a specific mission....
of the Patagonian Coast from Comodoro RivadaviaComodoro RivadaviaComodoro Rivadavia is a city in the Patagonian province of Chubut in southern Argentina, located on the San Jorge Gulf, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, at the foot of the Chenque Hill. Comodoro Rivadavia is the most important city of the San Jorge Basin....
- Argentine Army Sublieutenant Juan Omar Abraham (Esc Exp Cbl 1) accident near Puerto DeseadoPuerto DeseadoPuerto Deseado, originally called Port Desire, is a city of about 15,000 inhabitants and a fishing port in Patagonia in Santa Cruz Province of Argentina, on the estuary of the Deseado River....
, Santa Cruz May 24
- Argentine Army Conscript Aldo Ruben Canteros (B Comm 181) hypothermia near Puerto MadrynPuerto MadrynPuerto Madryn is a city in the province of Chubut in the Argentine Patagonia. It is the head town of the Viedma Department, and has about 57,571 inhabitants according to the last census in 2001....
, Chubut on June 15
- Argentine Army Lieutenant Julio Cesar Auvieux (B Ing 601) cleaning mine field near Rio Grande airbase, June 1982
- Argentine Army Conscript Sergio Oscar Gomez (HQ 1 Brig) accident at Comodoro RivadaviaComodoro RivadaviaComodoro Rivadavia is a city in the Patagonian province of Chubut in southern Argentina, located on the San Jorge Gulf, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, at the foot of the Chenque Hill. Comodoro Rivadavia is the most important city of the San Jorge Basin....
, date unknown
66 were lost with their aircraft or ships and their remains not recovered:
| Incident | Casualties |
|---|---|
| Canberra Bombers | 2 |
| ARA Alferez Sobral | 8 |
| Spy trawler Narwal | 1 |
| Aérospatiale Puma. | 3 |
| ARA Isla de los Estados ARA Isla de los Estados The ARA Isla de los Estados was a 3,900-ton Argentine supply ship that was sunk by HMS Alacrity at the small hours of the 11th May 1982, during the Falklands War, in a surface action north of Swan Islands, in Falklands Sound. Alacrity engaged Isla de los Estados with 15 rounds of her 4.5-inch gun... . |
22 |
| C-130E Hercules | 7 |
| A-4B/C Skyhawks | 12 |
| IAI Daggers | 5 |
| A-4Q Skyhawk | 1 |
| Learjet Escuadrón Fénix The Phoenix Squadron was a special unit of the Argentine Air Force formed during the 1982 Falklands War - History :... |
5 |
External links
- Pictorials: Comisión de Familiares , fostlong-photography.com & from the Air
- UK 'regret' over Falklands dead Comisión de Familiares de Caídos en Malvinas e Islas del Atlántico Sur - Relatives of the Fallen in the South Atlantic War
- Opening of the Darwin cemetery Memorial