Falklands40: Identifying the Unmarked Graves

Dan Snow's History Hit

History Hit

History

4.7 • 12.9K Ratings

🗓️ 13 June 2022

⏱️ 32 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Argentina surrendered to British forces in Port Stanley on the 14th of June 1982. The Falklands conflict was over. In the months after the fighting ended troops and their equipment shipped out, graves were dug and memorials were put up across the islands for those killed in battle. British military personnel were identified, most buried at sea or repatriated to the UK. But for 237 deceased Argentine soldiers, their hastily buried bodies remained unidentified for decades and their families were left unable to claim their loved ones who’d died fighting in the islands. Their memorials read simply: “Argentine Soldier Known Only By God”

Then in 2012, a team embarked on a project to change that. The International Committee of the Red Cross began a mission to collect DNA samples from each of the unknown graves in the hope that they could give the Argentine soldiers back their names and provide answers to relatives. Reporter Beth Timmins went to the Falkland Islands for the 40th-anniversary commemorations earlier this year and tells this moving story on this final podcast of our Falklands40 series.

If you want to find more episodes on the Falklands War, you can go back through the Dan Snow History Hit feed and look for episodes that begin with 'Falklands40'. This special season goes through all the key moments of the Falklands War, the tactics, the equipment, the challenges and of course the human stories of those tested by the extremes of war on a rocky island in the middle of the freezing Southern Atlantic. Find explainers and analyses from eminent historians and powerful testimonials from serving officers on both sides.

Presented by Dan Snow and Beth Timmins

Produced by Beth Timmins and Mariana Des Forges

Mixed and Mastered by Dougal Patmore

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Every household will get help with energy bills this winter.
0:04.4	The UK Government is giving you an extra £400 to ward your bills.
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0:19.0	You will also get even more help with your bills, with the energy price guarantee.
0:24.0	Find out more at gov.uk forward slash help for households today.
0:33.2	On the night of the 13th of June 1982, British forces launched their assault on Mount Tumbledown
0:41.2	while the highest points overlooking Port Stanley, which the capital of the Fortland Islands.
0:45.6	It was a tough, grueling battle for both sides.
0:48.6	It was also one of the last.
0:49.6	In the early hours of the morning of the 14th of June, the British forces on Tumbledown and nearby hills
0:54.9	had driven the Argentine defenders out of those mountains and down into town itself.
1:00.3	Surrender was imminent.
1:02.8	A ceasefire was agreed, the Prime Minister of the time Margaret Thach had told the House of Commons
1:07.6	that white flags were flying over the town and the Argentine defenders had thrown down their weapons.
1:12.2	The towns inhabitants, British citizens, greeted the British troops with a very warm welcome.
1:17.8	As they went on, Port Stanley fell and Argentina officially surrendered.
1:26.9	General Jerry Mimoy, Commander-Land forces, was interstantly soon after them to accept the surrender.
1:33.0	And after four hours of what was loosely described as negotiations,
1:36.7	the surrender document was signed by him and the Argentine garrison commander, General Mario Menendez.
1:42.9	The surrender document read, in Port Stanley at 9pm on the 14th of June 1982,
1:50.6	Major General Menendez surrendered to me all Argentine forces in East and West Forklands
	...

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