Taukkyan War Cemetery
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Taukkyan War Cemetery is a memorial to allied soldiers from the British Commonwealth who died in battle in Burma during the Second World War. The cemetery contains the graves of 6374 soldiers who died in the Second World War, the graves of 52 soldiers who died in Burma during the First World War, and memorial pillars (The Rangoon Memorial) with the names of over 27000 commonwealth soldiers who died in Burma during the Second World War but who have no known grave.[1] 867 graves contain the remains of unidentified soldiers.[2]The cemetery was opened in 1951 and the remains of commonwealth soldiers who died in Meiktila, Akyab (Sittwe), Mandalay, and Sahmaw were transferred here and the graves are grouped together by these battles. A large number of the 27000 names of commonwealth soldiers are of the many Indian and African soldiers who fought and died in Burma. 1819 graves, an unusually high number, are those of Indian soldiers.[3] Five holders of the Victoria Cross are interred at this site and the names of several (including five Indian VC holders) are inscribed on the Rangoon Memorial.[4] Also inscribed, in English, Hindi, Urdu, Gurmukhi, and Burmese, on the Rangoon Memorial are the words they died for all free men.[5] The Taukkyan Cremation Memorial, also at the site, commemorates more than 1000 soldiers who were cremated according to their faith.[6]
The cemetery is in the village of Taukkyan, an outskirt of Yangon, about 25km north of the city on Pyay Road (formerly Prome Road). It is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
