Falklands40: Identifying the Unmarked Graves

06/13/22 • 30 min

2 Listeners

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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Presented by Dan Snow and Beth Timmins

Produced by Beth Timmins and Mariana Des Forges

Mixed and Mastered by Dougal Patmore

Previous Episode

Falklands40: Return to Mount Tumbledown

The Battle of Mount Tumbledown was an attack by the British Army and the Royal Marines on the heights overlooking Stanley, the Falkland Islands' capital. One of a number of night battles that took place during the British advance towards Stanley, the battle led to British troops capturing all the heights above the town.

Professor Tony Pollard is a Professor of Conflict History and Archaeology. Tony joins Dan to detail the battlefield of Mount Tumbledown, the events that led to the capture of Stanley, and the surrender of the Argentine forces on the islands. Tony and Dan also discuss the Falklands War Mapping Project (FWMP), which Tony co-founded with Dr. Timothy Clack. The first time that veterans have taken part- the project uses archaeology to try and alleviate the stresses of PTSD.

Produced by Mariana Des Forges and Hannah Ward

Mixed and Mastered by Dougal Patmore

Next Episode

Treasures of The Royal Mint

A history of British monarchs in coins. With a history stretching over 1,100 years, The Royal Mint has forged a fascinating story through the world of historic coins. As the second oldest mint in the world, and the oldest company in the UK, its history is entwined with the 61 monarchs who have ruled England and Britain over the last 1,200 years. Chris Barker, historian at the Royal Mint Museum takes Dan through some of the rarest coins in the collection from within the vaults, unravelling what the coinage reveals about monarchs from the Norman conquest right through to the 20th century, including the coins created for Edward VIII but were never released in light of his abdication.

Produced by Mariana Des Forges

Mixed and Mastered by Dougal Patmore