Delhi War Cemetery

Delhi War Cemetery
Commonwealth War Graves Commission,
Government of India
Used for those deceased
Established 1951
Location 28°36′58″N 77°08′44″E / 28.61624°N 77.14542°E / 28.61624; 77.14542Coordinates: 28°36′58″N 77°08′44″E / 28.61624°N 77.14542°E / 28.61624; 77.14542
near New Delhi, India
Designed by H J Brown (associate member of the Royal Institute of British Architects)
Total burials 1154
Burials by nation
United Kingdom: 941
Indian: 152
Dutch: 30
Canadian: 15
Australian: 10
New Zealand: 5
Polish: 1
Burials by war

Delhi War Cemetery contains the war graves of 1154 British Empire casualties from the First and Second World Wars.[1][2] At the front entrance of the cemetery is the Delhi 1939-1945 War Memorial which honours the efforts of the Indian forces during both the world wars.[3][4]

Location

Delhi War Cemetery is located in Delhi Cantonment, Delhi, India. The nearest metro station is the Dhaula Kuan metro station and the Delhi Cantonment Metro Station.

The cemetery

The cemetery covers 10,000 square metres.[5][6] It contains a total of 1154 graves with the remains of citizens of the United Kingdom, India, Netherlands, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Poland from World War I and World War II. 821 of the graves belong to those from the army (including a female soldier), 296 for the Air Force and the remaining graves belong to those from the navy, merchant navy and one nurse and civilian.[7] Some of the war graves belong to those from regiments such as the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, Royal Engineers, Gloucestershire Regiment, Royal Artillery and Burma Rifles. A stone of remembrance is also present as well as a cross of sacrifice. The stone of remembrance has the words, 'their name liveth for evermore', engraved.

On the second Saturday of November, Remembrance Day, the British High Commission places wreaths in memory of all the dead.[1]

Delhi 1939-1945 War Memorial

Delhi 1939-1945 War Memorial

The Delhi 1939-1945 War Memorial is identical to the memorial at the Karachi War Cemetery. It forms the front entrance to Delhi War Cemetery. There are no names engraved on the memorial. A Roll of Honour, in Hindi and Urdu can be found at the site which records the names of those the memorial has been built for.[8]

Since the last rites and disposal or keep of remains varies by religion and country, the memorial is a commemoration for those who are not buried.

The memorial is also a tourist location like India Gate war memorial.[9]

The memorial was commissioned by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and is now jointly maintained by the Government of India and the Ministry of Defence.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Pisharoty, Sangeeta Barooah (2014-05-18). "In search of the dead". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2018-02-14.
  2. ↑ "On Remembrance Day, Delhi honours war heroes - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 2018-02-14.
  3. ↑ Gibson, T. A. Edwin; Ward, G. Kingsley (June 1989). Courage remembered: the story behind the construction and maintenance of the Commonwealth's military cemeteries and memorials of the wars of 1914-1918 and 1939-1945. H.M.S.O. p. 171. ISBN 9780117726086.
  4. ↑ "Delhi War Cemetery". www.cwgc.org. Retrieved 2018-02-14.
  5. ↑ "Design". www.cwgc.org. Retrieved 2018-02-14.
  6. ↑ Canada, Veterans Affairs. "Delhi War Cemetery - The Canadian Virtual War Memorial - Veterans Affairs Canada". www.veterans.gc.ca. Retrieved 2018-02-14.
  7. ↑ "Delhi War Cemetery Records". www.cwgc.org. Retrieved 2018-02-14.
  8. ↑ "History". www.cwgc.org. Retrieved 2018-02-14.
  9. ↑ "Travelogue: Visiting India Gate and Delhi War Cemetery in the Hyundai Xcent - Overdrive". Overdrive. Retrieved 2018-02-14.

Bibliography

  • Gilbert, Martin (2014). The Routledge Atlas of the Second World War. Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group. ISBN 9780415397094
  • T. A. Edwin Gibson, G. Kingsley Ward (1989). Courage remembered: the story behind the construction and maintenance of the Commonwealth's military cemeteries and memorials of the wars of 1914-1918 and 1939-1945. Her Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO). ISBN 9780117726086
  • Great Britain, Imperial War Graves Commission. (1957) The war dead of the British Commonwealth and Empire, 1939-1945 : the Delhi and Karachi 1939-1945 war memorials. Imperial War Graves Commission.
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