MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

?Beladies' visit Argentine War Cemetery in Falklands.

Following their very successful debut in Port Stanley Town Hall last Saturday the Argentine all-female Beatles impersonators, ?THE BELADIES' paid their respects today to Argentine soldiers who were killed in the 1982 Falklands War.

Two of the Falklands top drivers/guides Tony Smith and Patrick Watts were selected to carry the 4 young Argentine girls, their Management team and interpreter, to the Cemetery and then on to Darwin and Goose Green to view the Battle sites.

Carrying bunches of freshly cut flowers, given to them by a friendly Islander, the 4 young ladies knelt in front of the simple large wooden cross which overlooks the 231 graves, and where visiting Argentine next-of-kin hold their monthly Mass when visiting the Islands. The girls were visibly overcome by the sadness which the Cemetery presents, and emotionally had to be comforted by the four men Management team, as they laid the mixture of calendulas, tulips and lupins at the foot of the cross.

One of the Management team, 43 year old Gustavo Escrina from the Pacheco district of Buenos Aires, who is Assistant to Martin Aragon the ?BELADIES' Manager, said that ?the reality of the tragedy of 1982, and in particular the loss of so many fine young Argentines, struck me like a blow to the heart when I saw the grave of one soldier who was born on exactly the same day, month and year as me ? the 23rd of April 1957'.

19 year old Dana Nigro from Saavedra, the ?John Lennon' of the group, said that it had been an unexpectedly emotional visit for them all, and they felt deeply proud at being able to visit the Cemetery ? something which thousands of Argentines would like to do.

After paying tribute to the Argentine war dead, the ?BELADIES' female group were taken on a walking tour of the scene of the battle for Darwin/Goose Green, viewing in particular the defending positions where Argentine soldiers had established deep dug-outs in the earth, and also the spot where the British officer, Colonel ?H' Jones V.C. was killed, during the two-day battle which saw more than 50 Argentineans and 20 British soldiers killed.

Later the group and their team members had tea, coffee and biscuits at Darwin House before returning to Stanley.

On Wednesday the group who attracted a crowd of 500 people to their performance in Stanley Town Hall last Saturday, will play in the Globe Tavern, the most popular pub in the town, where the proprietor is Julie Clarke who organized last Saturday's func