Malvinas surrender telex up for auction in London

British auction house Bonhams will be auctioning a copy of the original telex message sent by Royal Army General Jeremy J. Moore to the UK Government informing the unconditional surrender or Argentine forces in the Malvinas war. The telex is set to fetch $21,600 pesos (£3,000) at auction.   

The telex is to be auctioned at Bonham's on April 3, the day after the 30th anniversary of the start of the South Atlantic armed conflict between Argentina and the United Kingdom.

Founded in 1793, Bonhams is the third largest auctioneer after Sotheby's and Christie's, and conducts around 700 auctions per year.

The historic message was sent by Moore, commander of the British land forces, to the UK Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) on 14 June, 1982.

Moore was the first anyone in Great Britain knew of the surrender by General de Brigada Mario Benjamín Menéndez in Puerto Argentino and the news was swiftly passed on to then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

The text read: “HQ LFF1 Port Stanley. In Port Stanley at 9 O'Clock pm Falkland Islands Time tonight 14th June 1982, Major General Menéndes (sic) surrendered to me all the Argentine Forces in East and West Falkland, together with all their impedimentia. Arrangements are in hand to assemble the men for return to Argentina, to gather in their arms and equipment, and to mark and make safe their munitions. The Falkland Islands are once more under the government desired by their inhabitants. God Save the Queen. Signed JJ Moore. Msg ends.”