Blue Beach Military Cemetery at San Carlos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blue Beach Military Cemetery at San Carlos |
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The Cemetery in 2003
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| For British forces | |
| Unveiled | 10 April 1983 |
| Location | 51°34′25.05″S 59°02′12.12″W / 51.5736250°S 59.0367000°W |
| Designed by | Professor Sir Peter Shepheard |
The Blue Beach Military Cemetery at San Carlos is a special place in the Falkland Islands. It's a cemetery where 14 British soldiers who died during the Falklands War in 1982 are buried. One other person, Captain John Belt, who died in 1984, is also buried here.
This cemetery is located near where British forces first landed on May 21, 1982, during the war. It's a quiet place to remember those who lost their lives.
Before 1982, British soldiers killed in action were usually buried close to where they died. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission looked after these graves.
After the Falklands War, some families wanted their loved ones' bodies brought back home to Britain. So, 64 of the fallen were returned to Britain in November 1982.
However, the families of 16 soldiers chose for their sons to remain in the Falkland Islands. Fourteen of these soldiers are buried here at Port San Carlos. Two others have single graves at Goose Green and Port Howard.
Contents
Designing a Place of Remembrance
In 1982, the Ministry of Defence asked the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to design and build this cemetery and a memorial. The plans were approved quickly, and the work was finished with help from British soldiers.
The cemetery was officially opened on April 10, 1983. The headstones are made of limestone, and the memorial panels are made of a green slate stone.
The cemetery has a low wall around it, about 3 feet (1 meter) high. It looks a bit like a traditional stone sheep pen. At the entrance, the wall is taller and has seven slate panels. Six of these panels list the names, ranks, and regiments of the soldiers buried there. The seventh panel has symbols for the three armed forces and a special message.
The message on the memorial remembers everyone who served in the South Atlantic Task Force. It also honors the sailors, soldiers, and airmen who died and whose bodies were never found, meaning the sea is their grave.
The cemetery is split into two parts, with seven graves in each. The section on the right is called the Airborne Cemetery. It holds the remains of four Paratroopers, including their leader, Lieutenant-Colonel "H" Jones. Next to them are two members of the Royal Signals and one Army Air Corps pilot. These three died when their helicopter was accidentally shot down.
Across from them are seven more headstones for seven Royal Marines. Captain Belt's grave is by itself near the entrance. He was buried there after the cemetery was finished.
Close by, you can find the San Carlos museum. It has photos and items from the Falklands War.
On May 21, 2002, which was 20 years after the landings, a special service was held at the cemetery. Over 300 people from the islands and the military garrison attended. They remembered those who died in the war. Before this ceremony, the area around the graves was tidied up and improved.
A Memorial in England
On May 20, 2012, a copy of the San Carlos Memorial was opened in England. It's at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. This dedication also marked the 30th anniversary of the landings.
Sara Jones, the wife of Lieutenant-Colonel H Jones, spoke at the ceremony. She said the memorial was a "fitting tribute" to the soldiers who gave their lives.
Who Was Lost in the War?
A total of 255 British servicemen and 3 women from the Falkland Islands died during the Falklands War.
Many of those who died, about 174 people, were buried at sea. Their remains were not found. These areas are now protected sites.
Buried in Other Places
Some individuals were buried in other specific locations:
- Lt Nick Taylor of the Royal Navy was shot down over Goose Green. Argentine forces buried him with military honors near where his plane crashed.
- Captain Gavin Hamilton is buried at Port Howard on West Falkland. He was killed there by Argentine commandos.
- Two of the three Falkland Island civilians who died, Doreen Bonner and Mary Goodwin, were buried in Port Stanley. Susan Whitely was buried on Sea Lion Island.
Three more people died later due to injuries or complications from the war:
- Captain Brian Biddick from the hospital ship SS Uganda died in May 1982 after an emergency operation.
- Able Seaman David McCann died in August 1982 from injuries he received when his ship, HMS Glamorgan, was hit.
- Marine Engineering Mechanic Paul Mills from HMS Coventry died in March 1983. He had suffered a skull injury when his ship sank.
See also
- Argentine Military Cemetery – a cemetery near Darwin Settlement for Argentine soldiers.
- Grytviken Cemetery – where Félix Artuso, an Argentinian submarine officer, is buried. He died during the British recapture of South Georgia in 1982.
