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REMEMBERING THE FORGOTTEN FALLEN…MYANMAR

REMEMBERING THE FORGOTTEN FALLEN…MYANMAR

Publicity currently about the dead of World War I has certainly been creating an interest in visiting the Great War cemeteries of that conflict.  And rightly so.

However much of that is focused around Belgium and France.  However, there are soldiers of a later World War who’s fighters and dead were spoken of even at the time. As the ‘forgotten army’!

War cemetery

The cemetery at Yangon Myanmar looked after by The Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

And many of these are to be found thousands of miles away and far from the shores of Europe, America or Africa.  Located at the Taukkyan War cemetery in what in 1945 was Rangoon. Now called Yangon.

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Taukkyan War Cemetery neatly laid out.

A short ride from its centre will get you to the final resting place of many of those fallen. Many were aged just around 20 years old.  Although there is also huge memorial to all those Allied soldiers who did not have a a final resting place in the cemetery.

Buried as they are in tropical red earth of what they knew as Burma and now today we call Myanmar.

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Grave of Abudu Bawa who is buried miles from his home in the Taukkyan War Cemetery.

British, Canadian, Nigeria, India and West African soldiers lie side by side in this neatly and well-preserved cemetery with 6,374 simple brass plaques marking graves of soldiers, airmen and sailors. Sadly some 867 are unknown!

Taukkyan War Cemetery In Yangon

On the main memorial are the names of 27,000 service people who died in the Burma campaign fighting the Japanese in the Burma conflict of World War II and were never ever found!

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Thousands of names on the memorial at the Taukkyan War Cemetery, including some from my home county the ‘Dorset Regiment’ .

The large cemetery is around 40 minutes drive from the city centre.  Now today is a place of pilgrimage for travellers from many of the countries listed.

Burma’s Main War Cemetery Is Easily Reached

Although, many that fought in that conflict would now be in there 90’s.  But if alive they would be surprised at the age range of the visitors paying respects there which, was opened in 1951. One young woman in her 20’s from Indonesia was studying history at college and yet took time out from her holiday to visit the cemetery whilst in Yangon.

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Some of the Indian soldiers listed on the Taukkyan War Cemetery memorial.

A couple from England James and Sarah Madden were on their honeymoon in Myanmar. They were also drawn into making a special visit to the cemetery. Jame’s interest was in that of Capt Michael Allmand VC who went to the same school in Yorkshire.  Ampleforth College that both of them attended.

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James and Sarah Madden visiting the cemetery in Yangon.

7 VC’s Are Buried In Yangon

7 holders of the VC are buried in the Taukkyan War Cemetery.  which, was opened in 1951. Here are buried victims of the various battles from over the whole of Burma.  These were later brought to be interred in battle groupings where every it was possible.

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Capt Allmand VC buried in the War cemetery in Yangon.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission looks after the cemetery.  Which, with its neatly lined grave markers and the large multi-columned memorial that carries the 27,000 names listed. Inscribed by regiments or squadrons but here they are certainly not forgotten like they were back in 1944/45!

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A plinth of Portland stone inscribed “Their Name Liveth For Evermore” at Taukkyan War Cemetery.

With tourism very much on the increase in Myanmar and with more recent political change visiting the country is so much easier than it was for many years.  When it was under strict military rule. My visit was made even more poignant to the cemetery.  As a large plinth of what seemed to be Portland stone hewn from a quarry in my home town of Portland, Dorset.  This was the first thing I saw from the main entrance.

With Yangon often the main gateway into the country for most of its tourists.  Hopefully they will take a short time out of their holidays to visit this cemetery.

Where they will help these forgotten to at last be remembered!

Flight Info:

http://www.singaporeair.com

Hotel Info:

Sedona Hotels Yangon

www.sedonahotels.com.sg

My travel plans took me to Yangon via Singapore Airlines hub at Changi in Singapore. I stayed at the Sedona Hotel in Yangon near to the Royal Palace.

Geoff Moore

Award winning blogger and travel writer/photographer, I have travelled the world in one way or another for 30 years. I am a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers for over 13 years. In the ever-changing world of publishing and online media it now requires that I have media skills across all areas. That now also includes video production. My travel images appear in magazines, newspapers and publications all over the world I am now blogging about all aspects of travel.

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