War veteran returns Falklands helmet to Argentina

A former Royal Marine has reunited with an Argentine veteran to return a helmet he "borrowed" during a battle in the Falklands War.

Royal Marine Andy Gatrick, who was 18 at the time, came across two injured Argentine soldiers during the Battle of Mount Harriet in 1982.

The helmet belonging to one of the men, both of whom were captured by the Marines, had a name on it: Hector. Gatrick, now 63, managed to track him down and flew back on 23 October to return it.

He was joined by Mick Dawson, another Royal Marine veteran from Rottingdean, East Sussex, who filmed the exchange for a new documentary called Hector's Helmet.

"In a very emotional day, he handed the helmet back in person to the guy he could have just as easily killed that night," said Dawson, from Rottingdean in East Sussex.

Dawson, 62, told BBC Radio Sussex: "Long story short, our kit was rubbish, we had rubbish helmets that you couldn't wear. We were in berets.

"They had good kit, American helmets. He borrowed one of their helmets which belonged to Hector."

The two met metres from each other during the Battle of Mount Harriet, which took place on 11 and 12 June, 1982.

Gatrick, from Bolton, Greater Manchester, said in footage sent to the BBC: "I put my weapon down and as I bent down to put the strap over my shoulders, I saw movement and a cloth which looked like a white handkerchief.

"My eyes adjusted and there was two Argentinians, I didn't know they were badly injured. I dived to the floor, weapon up. [There was] lots of shouting and swearing, bedlam."

Hector Pereyra welcomed Gatrick and the film crew at his house in Gualeguaychu, eastern Argentina. The two "embraced like long lost brothers", said Dawson, who is originally from Lincolnshire.

He added: "I interviewed Hector to get his whole story. I asked him what it was like when he was badly injured and Andy was coming out the darkness.

"He said 'I knew this man had the power of life or death over me and he chose life'. That was pretty profound, he then showed me a picture of his nine grandchildren and four children that wouldn't have existed if Andy made a different decision that night.

"It was just the most amazing thing to witness."

There were 907 total deaths during the 74-day conflict: 649 Argentine military personnel, 255 British personnel and three civilians.

Dawson said he hoped to release the documentary next year.

Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, X, and Instagram and listen to BBC Radio Sussex on Sounds. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.