Blue Beach Military Cemetery at San Carlos Blue Beach Military Cemetery at San Carlos is a British war cemetery in the Falkland Islands holding the remains of 14 of the 260 British casualties killed during Falklands War in 1982 . It is situated close to where 3 Commando Brigade had its initial headquarters after landing on 21 May 1982 . Up until 1982 all British serviceman killed in action were buried and commemorated as close to the place of death as possible and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission managed these graves . After the Falklands War , one family requested the repatriation of their fallen son ' s body , and following this , other families requested the same ; as a result , this offer was extended to all relatives . On 16 November 1982 64 of the dead , ( 52 soldiers , 11 Royal Marines , and one laundryman from Hong Kong ) were returned to Britain aboard the landing ship Sir Bedivere . The families of 16 of the dead kept with tradition and preferred their sons ' remains should stay in the islands . Fourteen are buried at Port San Carlos with two more at isolated single grave sites at Goose Green and Port Howard . Design . In 1982 , at the request of the Ministry of Defence , the Commonwealth War Graves Commission undertook the design and construction of a cemetery and memorial . The plans were approved by the MOD on 12 November 1982 at a total cost of £50 , 000 . The work was completed with the assistance of 8 Field Squadron Royal Engineers and the Brigade of Gurkhas and dedicated on 10 April 1983 . The headstones are of Orton Scar limestone and the memorial panels are of light sea green slate from Cumbria . The cemetery is surrounded by a 1 metre high wall with a small entrance open to the beach in the style of a stone sheep corral . Opposite the entrance , the wall is tapered higher with seven slate panels , six with the Regiment , Name , Rank and Service of the fallen and one with the three Forces ' Emblems and the following inscription ; The site is divided into two sections each with seven graves . The section on the right is known as the Airborne Cemetery as it contains the remains of four Paratroopers including that of Lieutenant - Colonel " H " Jones two Royal Signallers from 16 Air Assault Brigade and Sergeant Griffin from 656 Squadron Army Air Corps . Directly opposite are another seven headstones laid out in the same pattern with the remains of six Royal Marines and Captain Bell from the Army Air Corps . Nearby is the San Carlos museum , with photographs and relics from the conflict . On 21 May 2002 , the 20th anniversary of the landings , a service of remembrance was held at the cemetery . Over 300 islanders and personnel from the garrison joined the Falklands Governor , in remembering those who lost their lives in the campaign . On 20 May 2012 , a duplicate of the San Carlos Memorial was dedicated at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire England . The official dedication , which was attended by The Band of Her Majesty ' s Royal Marines also marked the 30th anniversary of the landings . Speaking at the ceremony , the widow of Lieutenant - Colonel H Jones ' , Sara , described the memorial as a " Fitting tribute to the members of the Task Force who gave their lives " . Breakdown of the casualties . A total of 255 British servicemen and 3 female Falklands Island civilians were killed during the Falklands War . 174 were buried at sea , or lost with their aircraft / ships and their remains not recovered . These are controlled sites under the Protection of Military Remains Act . Two more deaths may be attributed to Operation Corporate , bringing the total to 260