Basra War Cemetery

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The cemetery in 1951 prior to its abandonment by CWGC, showcasing Basra Plot 7 (WW2) and Plot 6 (WW1) (CWGC Archives) Basra Plot 7 (WW2) and Plot 6 (WW1) taken in 1951 (CWGC Archives).jpg
The cemetery in 1951 prior to its abandonment by CWGC, showcasing Basra Plot 7 (WW2) and Plot 6 (WW1) (CWGC Archives)
War Stone from Basra Cemetery Lest We Forget Monument remains.jpg
War Stone from Basra Cemetery

Basra War Cemetery is a military cemetery in Basra, Iraq. Originally a small civil cemetery, it was greatly enlarged during the First World War and contains 2,890 graves, the majority of which are Commonwealth casualties killed during the Mesopotamian campaign. The site is in very poor condition, having not been maintained or renovated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission; as a result, the graves are no longer marked.

Contents

History

In 1935, the site was cleared of gravestones due to their deterioration and a Memorial Screen Wall was installed with the names of the men buried there; none of these inscriptions survive. When they were removed and by whom is unknown. Opposite lies the Indian Forces Cemetery. The combined cemeteries contain the remains of almost 5,000 servicemen, primarily those killed in World War I. In addition, it includes a small plot containing graves of Ottoman prisoners of war and eight Russian refugees from 1920-21.[ clarification needed ] There are 364 World War II graves and a dedicated RAF cemetery. During World War II, Basra was part of the Trans-Iranian transport route for the delivery of Lend-Lease aid to the USSR. A number[ vague ] of Soviet pilots killed in a plane crash on 5 May 1942 are also buried there, including commander Senior Lieutenant Alexey Nikolaevich Ivanov (section 7, row G, grave 5), and navigator Yuri Pavlovich Zaitsev (section 7, row G, grave 6).

Fragments of a British Army Soldiers Grave Basra War Cemetery Grave Fragments.jpg
Fragments of a British Army Soldiers Grave Basra War Cemetery

It was maintained by the CWGC until 2007. [1] [2] Those buried at the cemetery include Victoria Cross recipient George Godfrey Massy Wheeler, and Henry Howard, 19th Earl of Suffolk.[ citation needed ]

The Daily Telegraph reported on 10 November 2013 that the cemetery had been damaged, with a number of headstones knocked down and broken by looters and vandals. [1] The Commonwealth War Graves Commission subsequently cleared the site of all grave markers before abandoning the site, including the cross of sacrifice and plinth. Local residents then started using the area as a football and games field.

Basra War Cemetery in 1997 prior to being cleared by the CWGC Basra War Cemetery 1997.pdf
Basra War Cemetery in 1997 prior to being cleared by the CWGC

The graves themselves remain undisturbed, and the sub-bases remain in place, making individual graves relatively easy to identify. As of July 2024 the CWGC has no plans to return to the country and renovate or maintain any of the cemeteries and monuments there.[ citation needed ]

In July 2024 a relative of a soldier buried there from 1941 visited the site and laid a new gravestone, the first to be laid in over 80 years.[ citation needed ]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Iraq cemetery containing graves of British servicemen is destroyed". the Telegraph. 10 November 2013. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013.
  2. ↑ Basra War Cemetery. Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
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