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Eusebio A. Aguilar
Posted by Mark 15 Jun 2007
When I was on the 2002 Pilgrimage to the Falkland Islands, I visited the Argentine Cemetery at Darwin with some of the lads. When we arrived there were a large number of Land Rovers and dozens of British veterans were already walking amongst the graves paying their respects. "Paddy" Burton was walking amongst the graves playing laments on his bagpipes, and the whole scene was very emotional.
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As I walked up, "Jacko" Jackson approached me close to tears. He had just placed a helmet on the grave of its owner, Eusebio A. Aguilar. The helmet had been picked up on the battlefield in 1982, but when the soldier who had it discovered the owner was buried in that cemetery he gave it to Jacko and asked him to return it. Jacko had done that. I went to the grave and took this photograph. In it you will see rosaries and stones left by his relatives, flowers left by the Falkland Islanders, and the helmet left by his former enemies. That is how we respect the dead. Negotiations are under way between representatives of the Argentine Families association and Falkland Islands Councillors for a visit by up to 800 Argentine relatives in November. There are great logistical problems that need to be overcome to handle that many visitors at once, but the discussions are going well. The Argentine government, it seems, only want to put obstacles in the way but that's for them to explain to their people.
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