Kohima War Cemetery

Kohima War Cemetery
Name	Kohima War Cemetery
Location	Kohima, Nagaland, India
Established	1944
Country	India
Coordinates	25°40′N 94°06′E
Type	Military cemetery
Owner	Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Total	1,420 (approx.)

Kohima War Cemetery Kohima War Cemetery is a Second World War burial ground on the ridge above Kohima in Nagaland, India, commemorating Commonwealth soldiers who fought in the Battle of Kohima and the Burma Campaign. Designed and maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, the site stands near the Garrison Hill and overlooks the Dzüko Valley, serving as a focal point for remembrance connected to the British Indian Army, Gurkha regiments, Royal Air Force, and other formations engaged in the South-East Asian theatre of World War II. The cemetery is internationally recognized alongside other memorials such as the Imphal War Cemetery and Rangoon War Cemetery.

History

The cemetery originated following the 1944 Battle of Kohima, a decisive engagement between British Empire forces, including the 13th (Indian) Division, and the Imperial Japanese Army as part of the U-Go offensive. After frontline consolidation, burial plots were established near the battlefield for soldiers from units like the East Yorkshire Regiment, Mahar Regiment, 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles), and the 2nd Battalion, Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment. Post-war consolidation under the Imperial War Graves Commission (later renamed Commonwealth War Graves Commission) collected graves from battlefield sites across Nagaland, Manipur, Arakan Campaign battlefields and re-interred personnel here; similar actions occurred at Imphal and Taukkyan War Cemetery. The site’s development involved architects and horticultural input reflecting commemorative practices established after the Battle of the Somme and Ypres.

Layout and Monuments

The cemetery is arranged on terraces on a hillside with formal pathways, stone memorials, and planting schemes influenced by designs used at Tyne Cot Cemetery and Delville Wood Cemetery. Central features include the Cross of Sacrifice and the Stone of Remembrance, consistent with gravesites at Netley and Anzio. A prominent memorial wall records the names of soldiers without known graves from units such as the Royal Army Service Corps, Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers, Punjab Regiment, and Sikh Regiment. Individual headstones bear regimental badges of formations including the Lancashire Fusiliers, Somerset Light Infantry, Royal Scots Fusiliers, East Surrey Regiment, and Lincolnshire Regiment. The planting includes roses and evergreen species selected similarly to plantings at Brookwood Cemetery and Cholmondeley Gardens, and the layout provides sightlines to landmarks like Kohima Ridge and the Garrison Hill War Memorial.

Interments and Notable Graves

Approximately 1,420 Commonwealth servicemen are interred or commemorated, representing the United Kingdom, India, Nepal, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa. Graves include soldiers from the 1st Battalion, The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, the 2nd Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment, and the 3rd Royal Gurkha Rifles. Notable individual burials and commemorations include those from regiments involved in the contested Tiddim Road and Imphal-Kohima Road operations, and aircrew from No. 607 Squadron RAF and No. 31 Squadron RAF. Many names belong to recipients of decorations such as the Victoria Cross, Distinguished Service Order, and Military Cross awarded across the Arakan and Manipur theatres, though specific VC winners are commemorated individually alongside unit designations like 7th Rajput Regiment and 4th Prince of Wales's Own Gurkha Rifles.

Commemoration and Memorial Events

Annual observances at the site include Remembrance Day commemorations, wreath-laying ceremonies attended by representatives of the British High Commission in India, delegations from the Nepalese Embassy, and veterans’ associations like the Royal British Legion and Anglo-Indian Association groups. Ceremonies mark anniversaries of the Battle of Kohima and broader Burma Campaign milestones, often involving participation by local authorities from the Nagaland State Government, clergy from Anglican and Roman Catholic Church communities, and military detachments from modern formations descended from wartime units such as the British Indian Army successors. Educational visits by students from institutions such as Naga Hospital Authority Medical College and heritage tours organized by agencies like India Tourism Development Corporation highlight battlefield interpretation linked to oral history projects and regimental associations.

Maintenance and Administration

The cemetery is administered by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which undertakes ongoing conservation in line with international commemorative standards established after World War I. Maintenance activities include stone conservation, horticulture, and archival management coordinated with local contractors and the Nagaland Baptist Church Council for community liaison. The CWGC collaborates with foreign missions including the British Council, the Australian High Commission, and the Canadian High Commission on projects such as headstone restoration and database updates; records are cross-referenced with rolls of honour maintained by regimental museums like the National Army Museum and the Imperial War Museum.

Visitor Information and Access

The cemetery is accessible from the Kohima–Zubza Road near the Kohima Municipal Council area and is signposted from central Kohima, the state capital of Nagaland. Visitor amenities include an interpretation board, guided tour options from local guides affiliated with Nagaland Tourism, and nearby accommodation in locations such as Barkokhü Village and hotels listed with Tripura House and other guesthouses. Access is subject to regional travel advisories from diplomatic missions including the British High Commission New Delhi and the Embassy of Japan in India for international visitors; nearby transport links include routes via Dimapur Railway Station and Dimapur Airport. The site is frequently visited by scholars researching the Second World War in Asia, battlefield tourists, and descendants tracing family histories using records from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and unit war diaries held at archives like the National Archives (United Kingdom).

Category:Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries in India Category:World War II memorials in India