MichaelWhite3 at 10:37, 8 May 2026

2026-05-08T10:37:16Z

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{{Short description|CWGC cemetery in India}}
{{Infobox military memorial
| name = Guwahati War Cemetery
| image = Guwahati War Cemetery.jpg
| body = [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]
| use_dates = 1942–present
| established = {{start date and age|1942}}
| location = Silpukhuri, [[Guwahati]], [[Assam]], India
| nearest_town = Guwahati
| coordinates = {{coord|26.1881|N|91.7637|E|type:landmark_region:IN-AS}}
| total = 500+
| unknowns = 25
| by_war = [[World War II]]
| commemorates = Commonwealth, Indian, Chinese soldiers
}}

'''Guwahati War Cemetery''' is a [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]] (CWGC) cemetery located in the Silpukhuri area of [[Guwahati]], [[Assam]], India. Established during the [[Second World War]], it serves as the final resting place of soldiers who died in military hospitals in and around the region. The cemetery is one of the principal World War II war cemeteries in north-east India and is maintained by the CWGC.<ref name="trawell">{{cite web |url=https://www.trawell.in/assam/guwahati/guwahati-war-cemetery |title=Guwahati War Cemetery |publisher=Trawell |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref>

==History==
The cemetery was established during the [[Second World War]] to accommodate burials from several military hospitals operating in the Guwahati region.<ref name="incredible">{{cite web |url=https://www.incredibleindia.gov.in/en/assam/guwahati/guwahati-war-cemetery |title=Guwahati War Cemetery |publisher=Incredible India |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref> As casualties increased, the available burial space proved insufficient. Consequently, the Army Graves Service consolidated graves from other burial grounds, including military and civil cemeteries in the region.<ref name="incredible" />

In the post-war period, additional land was acquired to expand the cemetery and reorganize scattered burials into a permanent and dignified site.<ref name="incredible" /> The cemetery was subsequently formalised and entrusted to the care of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which standardised its layout and memorial architecture in line with other CWGC cemeteries worldwide.<ref name="cwgc">{{cite web |url= https://www.cwgc.org/visit-us/find-cemeteries-memorials/cemetery-details/2020001/gauhati-war-cemetery/|title= GAUHATI WAR CEMETERY|access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref>

==Description==

[[File:Cross of Sacrifice at Guwahati War Cemetery 1.jpg|thumb|Cross of Sacrifice at Guwahati War Cemetery]]

[[File:Graves in Guwahati war cemetery.jpg|thumb|Graves in Guwahati war cemetery]]
The cemetery is situated on Navagraha Road in the Silpukhuri locality, approximately 2.5 kilometres from Guwahati Railway Station.<ref name="trawell" /> It is landscaped in the typical CWGC style, featuring uniform headstones, manicured lawns, and a central memorial structure.

The cemetery contains over 500 burials, including:
* Approximately 486 Commonwealth servicemen of the Second World War<ref name="trawell" />
* 25 unidentified burials<ref name="trawell" />
* 24 graves of Chinese soldiers<ref name="trawell" />
* A number of Indian soldiers, including both identified and unidentified graves<ref name="incredible" />

There were also burials of Japanese soldiers who died during the war; however, their remains were later exhumed and repatriated to Japan.<ref name="toi">{{cite news |url=https://www.timesofassam.com/headlines/exhumation-of-japanese-army-remains-from-graves-at-world-war-cemetery-in-guwahati/ |title=Exhumation of Japanese Army remains |publisher=Times of Assam |date=2012-01-19 |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref>

==Significance==
The Guwahati War Cemetery is one of several Second World War cemeteries established in India to commemorate Allied war dead, particularly those who served in the [[Burma Campaign]] and the broader South-East Asian theatre.<ref name="cwgc" /> It reflects the logistical importance of Assam during the war, when the region served as a key base for military operations and medical treatment.

The cemetery also highlights the multinational composition of Allied forces, with graves representing soldiers from [[United Kingdom|Britain]], [[India]], [[China]], and other countries. It stands as a memorial to the sacrifices made during the war and is maintained as a site of remembrance and historical importance.

==Maintenance==
The cemetery is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, an intergovernmental organisation responsible for commemorating Commonwealth military personnel who died in the two World Wars.<ref name="cwgc" /> The CWGC ensures uniform commemoration regardless of rank, nationality, or religion.

The cemetery has occasionally been subject to vandalism and theft of commemorative plaques, raising concerns about preservation and security.<ref name="toi2">{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/plaques-stolen-from-war-graves/articleshow/19815385.cms |title=Plaques stolen from war graves |publisher=The Times of India |date=2013-05-01 |access-date=2026-04-04}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Kohima War Cemetery]]
* [[Imphal War Cemetery]]
* [[Commonwealth War Graves Commission]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|https://www.cwgc.org/}}
{{Cemeteries in India}}

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

Guwahati War Cemetery - Revision history

MichaelWhite3 at 10:37, 8 May 2026