View source for Kohima War Cemetery

{{Short description|CWGC cemetery in India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox military memorial
|name= War Cemetery in Kohima
|body= [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
|image= [[File:Cemetery with kohima.jpeg|300px|War Cemetery with Kohima City in background]]
|use_dates=
|established= {{start date and age|df=yes|1946}}
|designer= [[Colin St Clair Oakes]]
|coordinates= {{coord|25.6676093|94.1029403|display=inline,title|format=dms}}
| mapframe-wikidata = yes
| mapframe-marker = cemetery
| location         = [[Midland Ward]], [[Kohima]], Nagaland
|nearest_town=
|total= 1420
|by_country=Australia:  3<br>Canada:  5<br>India:  330<br>UK:  1082
|by_war=
[[World War II]]: 1420
|source=
}}
'''Kohima War Cemetery''' is a memorial dedicated to soldiers of the [[2nd Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|2nd British Division]] of the [[Allies of World War II|Allied Forces]] who died in the [[Second World War]] at [[Kohima]], the capital of the Indian state of [[Nagaland]] in April 1944. The soldiers died on the battleground of Garrison Hill in the [[tennis court]] area of the Deputy Commissioner's residence. According to the [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]], which maintains this cemetery among many others in the world, there are 1,420 [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] burials of the Second World War at this cemetery, and a memorial to an additional 917 [[Hindu]] and [[Sikh]] soldiers who were cremated in accordance with their faith.<ref name=Cemetery>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2058100/KOHIMA%20WAR%20CEMETERY|title=Kohima War Cemetery|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-a-cemetery/cemetery/2058100|title= CWGC record. An additional memorial is for 917 Hindu and Sikh cremated dead|publisher= Commonwealth War Graves Commission}}</ref><ref name=White>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/4C2B25FC-2E6C-45F9-B785-8A75139E9A0A/0/ww2_kohima.pdf |title=The Battle of Kohima, North East India 4 April-22 June 1944 |work=Kohima Today |publisher=Archive Organization |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090806001743/http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/4C2B25FC-2E6C-45F9-B785-8A75139E9A0A/0/ww2_kohima.pdf |archive-date=6 August 2009 }}</ref> The memorial was inaugurated by [[Field Marshal]] [[William Slim, 1st Viscount Slim|Sir William Slim]], then Commander of the 14th Army in [[Burma]].<ref name=Field>{{Cite web|url=http://www.worcestershireregiment.com/wr.php?main=inc/burma_Worc_Regt|title=The Kohima Memorial|publisher=Worcestershire Regiment}}</ref>

==Location==
[[File:Entrance to Cemetery.jpeg|thumb|Entrance to the cemetery|left]]

The Kohima War Cemetery is located in the heart of Kohima, the capital city of the Indian state of Nagaland, at the location where a decisive battle was won by the Allied Forces during the Second World War, forcing the Japanese army to retreat.<ref name=Cemetery/> This location is on the ridge below and above the tennis court.{{Sfn|Graham|2005|p=133}}

==History==
In March 1944, the Japanese 15th Army attacked the British troops stationed in Kohima and [[Imphal]] in northeast India with intent to prevent an attack on Burma. In the first week of April, the Japanese attacked at Kohima and Imphal via [[Mizoram]] from the Indo-Burma border, to destroy the supply bases of the British. They laid siege on the Allied forces stationed at Kohima and also at Imphal.<ref name =Cemetery/><ref name =Kohima>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nam.ac.uk/exhibitions/online-exhibitions/britains-greatest-battles/imphal-kohima?page=2|title=The Context|publisher= National Army Museum}}</ref>

Reaching Kohima during April 1944, the Japanese 15th Army occupied a strategic location on Garrison Hill and continually attacked a small contingent of the Commonwealth forces, which successfully held their ground until reinforcements were brought in. In the battle at the tennis ground (now marked by white concrete lines) of the Deputy Commissioner's bungalow (which was destroyed during the war), which also involved hand-to-hand fighting between the opposing forces, the Commonwealth forces prevailed over the Japanese forces and forced them to retreat in defeat. There were heavy casualties on both sides.<ref name =Cemetery/> This battle was the turning point for the Allied forces.<ref name=Army>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nam.ac.uk/exhibitions/online-exhibitions/britains-greatest-battles/imphal-kohima?page=2|title=The Legacy|publisher=National Army Museum}}</ref>

In 2013, the British [[National Army Museum]] voted the Battle of Imphal and Kohima as "Britain's Greatest Battle".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nam.ac.uk/exhibitions/online-exhibitions/britains-greatest-battles|title=Britain's Greatest Battles|publisher=National Army Museum}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/the-battle-for-kohima-heroes-of-world-war-ii.html|title=The Battle for Kohima: Heroes of World War II|date=28 June 2013|publisher=Warhistoryonline|access-date=6 March 2015|archive-date=8 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308180044/https://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/the-battle-for-kohima-heroes-of-world-war-ii.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Description==
[[File:Kohima War Cemetery, Kohima, Nagaland (89).jpeg|thumb|The stone memorial with the [[Kohima Epitaph]]]]
[[File:Kohima War Cemetery (2024).jpg|thumb|Kohima Cemetery with view of Kohima]]
The cemetery is set in peaceful surroundings with well-manicured grassland in which roses bloom in season. The cemetery is sited at the exact location where the battle was fought, and provides a panoramic view of the city of Kohima.<ref name=Envis/> It is marked at its two ends by tall, concrete structures engraved with the cross.<ref name=Burma>{{cite web|url=http://www.burmastar.org.uk/epitaph.htm |title=The Kohima 2nd Division Memorial |publisher=[[Burma Star Association]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150510152752/http://www.burmastar.org.uk/epitaph.htm |archive-date=2015-05-10 }}</ref>}  Between the two structures, along the sloping ground, a series of terraces of {{Convert|3|-|5|m}} in height have been created; these contain stone markers embedded with bronze plaques carrying the name of each Commonwealth soldier who died on the Kohima battlefield. These markers are made distinctly visible by a white wash.<ref name=Envis/>

There are two memorial crosses, one at the upper end and the other at the lower end of the cemetery.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} The upper-end memorial is located at the highest end of the cemetery. It commemorates the names of the Indian and Sikh soldiers (917 [[Hindu]] and [[Sikh]] soldiers who had been cremated as per their religious rites) who were part of the [[British Indian Army]] and died on the battlefield.<ref name=White/> The epitaph inscribed on this memorial reads: {{cquote| Here, around the tennis court of the deputy commissioner, lie men who fought in the battle of Kohima in which they and their comrades finally halted the invasion of India by the forces of Japan in April 1944.}}

The lower-end memorial is dedicated to the 2nd Division. It is a {{Convert|15|ft}} tall, massive stone (similar to the stone used by the Naga tribes to mark the graves of their dead) fixed over a dressed stone platform. This stone was originally located on a spur at Maram, to the south of Kohima, which was then shifted with the help of Naga people to be erected at the 2nd British Division's war cemetery.<ref name=Field/><ref name=Burma/> While the top part of the memorial is marked with a cross, at the lower part lies a bronze plate that carries an epitaph. The epitaph, titled [[Kohima Epitaph]], reads:{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} {{cquote|When you go home tell them of us and say for your tomorrow we gave our today}}

The above verse, which became world-famous, is attributed to [[John Maxwell Edmonds]] (1875–1958) and is thought to have been inspired by [[Battle of Thermopylae#Epitaph of Simonides|the epitaph]] written by [[Simonides of Ceos|Simonides]] to honour the [[Sparta]]ns who fell at the [[Battle of Thermopylae]] in 480 BC.<ref name=Burma/><ref>{{cite web |author=Imperial War Museum |author-link=Imperial War Museum |url=http://archive.iwm.org.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.1261 |title=What is the Kohima Epitaph? |work=archive.iwm.org.uk |access-date=6 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230155628/http://archive.iwm.org.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.1261 |archive-date=30 December 2014 |url-status=dead }}.</ref>

Another notable feature at the site is a cherry tree near the tennis court where the battle was fought, where a small brass plaque reads:<ref name=Envis>{{Cite web|url=http://scstsenvis.nic.in/index3.aspx?sslid=181&subsublinkid=895&langid=1&mid=1|title=Kohima|publisher=National Informatics Centre}}</ref>{{Sfn|Bhattacharjee|2013|p=67}} {{cquote|For Your Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today}}

The original tree, from which a branch has been used to create the present tree where the plaque is fixed, had been used for target practice by the Japanese forces. It was destroyed during the battle. Hence, Kohima Battle is also known as the "Battle Under the Cherry Tree".{{Sfn|Bhattacharjee|2013|p=67}}<ref name=Envis/>

Close to the Garrison Hill, memorials for the 2nd Battalion, the [[Dorset Regiment|Dorsetshire Regiment]], and several other regiments have been established.<ref name =Cemetery/> There is a memorial to the dead of the 2nd Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry, inside the grounds of the Chief Secretary's Official Residence, just behind the Governor's House.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gentleman's Military Interest Club |url=https://gmic.co.uk/topic/61829-british-regiment-memorials-around-kohima-nagaland-india-regional-admin-award-38-certificate-of-merit/page/2/}}</ref>

In the list of the dead marked by stones at the cemetery, there are 64 names of [[Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders]] soldiers; the memorial, however, lists 96 names, out of which the graves of 32 personals were located.{{Sfn|Graham|2005|p=133}}

==Memorial service==
On the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II in 2005, a memorial service was held at the Kohima War Cemetery attended by 41 members of the [[Royal British Legion]]. Brigadier John Farmer, representing the Royal British Legion, and Brigadier RL Sharma of the [[Assam Rifles|2nd Assam Rifles]], laid wreaths at the memorial. Reverend Dr [[Neiliezhü Üsou]], officiating chaplain, conducted the memorial service. A notable pilgrim to the memorial was Hildra Martin Smith, aged 84, who came in a wheelchair; he had participated in the Kohima battle as a Lieutenant of the British Army. The visit was initiated by the Royal British Legion of the United Kingdom, which regularly sponsors such war grave pilgrimages.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nagalim.nl/news/00000183.htm|title=Royal British Legion revisits war memories |work=The Morung Express|date=15 October 2005|access-date=8 March 2015|publisher= Nagalim.NL News}}</ref>

Ten years later another memorial service was held in the cemetery, attended by senior British Army officers, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the [[Battle of Kohima]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.easternmirrornagaland.com/british-army-delegates-memorial-visit-to-kohima-war-cemetery/|title=British Army delegates memorial visit to Kohima War Cemetery|date=17 April 2014|access-date=21 December 2015|publisher=Eastern Mirror Nagaland}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Battle of Imphal]]
* [[Battle of Kohima]]
* [[Battle of the Tennis Court]]
* [[Fourteenth Army (United Kingdom)|XIV Army]]
* [[Imphal War Cemetery]]
* [[Victory Tunnel]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book|last= Bhattacharjee |first=Kishalaya |title=Che in Paona Bazar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IMA7Ve2-VuIC&pg=PT67|year=2013|publisher=Pan Macmillan|isbn=978-1-4472-4741-8}}
* {{cite book|last=Graham |first=Gordon |title=The Trees are All Young on Garrison Hill: An Exploration of War and Memory|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-U8dffskv6YC&pg=PA133|year=2005|publisher=Kohima Educational Trust|isbn=978-0-9552687-0-0}}

==External links==
* {{commons category-inline}}
* {{Find a Grave cemetery}}

[[Category:World War II memorials]]
[[Category:Kohima]]
[[Category:Cemeteries in India]]
[[Category:Indian military memorials and cemeteries]]
[[Category:Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries in India]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Kohima]]