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About
Kohima War
Cementery |
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Kohima War Cementery lies on the battle ground of Garrison
Hill. No trace remains of the bungalow, which was destroyed in
the fighting, but white concrete lines mark and preserve
permanently the historic tennis court. The cemetery now
contains 1,420 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War.
At the highest point in the cemetery stands the Kohima
Cremation Memorial commemorating 917 Hindu and Sikh soldiers
whose remains were cremated in accordance with their faith.
At the lower end of the cemetery, near the entrance, is a
memorial to the 2nd Division. It bears the inscription;- "When
you go home Tell them of us and say, For your tomorrow, We
gave our today."
The cemetery also contains a memorial to the 2nd Battalion,
the Dorsetshire Regiment and a number of other regimental
memorials have been erected on and near Garrison Hill.The
upper cross states “Here, around the tennis court of the
Deputy Commissioner lies men who fought in the battle of
Kohima in which they and their companions finally halted the
invasion of India by the forces of Japan in April 1944”. The
other cross reads “When you go home, tell them of us and say
for your tomorrow, we gave our today”. This cemetery is
situated in Kohima, on the battle grounds of Garrison Hill and
Commonwealth War Graves Commission is the in-charge for its
maintenance. |
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Visitor Information |
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The
cemetery is completely terraced with terrace levels ranging from
3 - 5 metres high, which makes wheelchair access to this site
impossible.
Visitors to Kohima War Cemetery in north-east India should be
aware that an area on the western side of the cemetery behind
the cremation memorial is cordoned off. This does not prevent
access to any of the graves in the cemetery but is intended to
restrict access to the service area where there has been some
land slippage. Land movement is not uncommon in the hilly area
around Kohima and the CWGC is working with the Indian government
(a member country of the CWGC) to ensure that remedial steps are
taken to stabilise the hillside and prevent further slippage.
The Cemetery is only open to the public while staff are on duty,
and is normally closed on Sundays. The residential Group
Supervisor's bungalow is located on the roadside by the service
entrance a short distance left of the main entrance, and the
register of the graves is usually kept at his bungalow. |
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Location of Kohima War Cemetery |
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Kohima War Cemetery is located on the left of the Imphal-Diampur
road (Highway 39) close to the centre of the town. Kohima War
Cemetery is a historic site, which reminds of the brave
warriors, who died during the Japanese Invasion at the time of
World War II. This cemetery comprises about 1420 commonwealth
funerals, which have stone markers on them. Commemorative
decorated bronze plate is placed over the funeral of every
warrior. This cemetery comprises about 1,100 British burials, 5
Canadian and 330 Indian burials. This cemetery preserves two
famous crosses at its highest and lowest points. |
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Historical Information |
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The Japanese advance into India was halted at Kohima in
April 1944 and Garrison Hill, a long wooded urge on a high
ridge west of the village, was the scene of perhaps the most
bitter fighting of the whole Burma campaign when a small
Commonwealth force held out against repeated attacks by a
Japanese Division. The fiercest hand to hand fighting took
place in the garden of the Deputy Commissioner's bungalow,
around the tennis court, but the heaviest fatalities on both
sides occurred after relieving forces reached the Garrison
and the Japanese were driven off the ridge, so re-opening
the road to Imphal. |
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