This is the information from CWGC - BASRA WAR CEMETERY Iraq
Visiting Information
THE COMMISSION STRONGLY ADVISES THAT THE FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
SHOULD BE CONTACTED BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO VISIT IRAQ.
Their details are as follows -
Travel Advice Unit Consular Division Foreign and Commonwealth
Office Old Admiralty Building London SW1A 2AF Tel: 0207 008 0232/0233 Fax: 0207 008 0164
http://www.fco.gov.uk/ Opening Times - Monday to Friday 09.30 - 16.00
Basra is a town on the west bank of the Shatt-al-Arab, 90 kilometres from its mouth in the Persian Gulf. The cemetery is about 8 kilometres north-west of Basra.
Historical Information -
During the First World War, Basra was occupied by the 6th (Poona) Division in November 1914, from which date the town became the base of the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force. A number of cemeteries were used by the MEF in and around Basra - Makina Masul Old Cemetery was used from December 1914 to October 1916 and the Makina Masul New Extension was begun alongside the old cemetery in August 1917. These two sites, enlarged later when more than 1,000 graves were brought in from other burial grounds, now form Basra War Cemetery.
The cemetery now contains 2,551 burials of the First World War, 74 of them unidentified. The headstones marking these graves were removed in 1935 when it was discovered that salts in the soil were causing them to deteriorate. The names of those buried in the graves affected are now recorded on a screen wall. The cemetery also contains the Basra (Tanooma Chinese) Memorial, commemorating 227 unidentified casualties of the Chinese Labour Corps who were attached to the Inland Water Transport during the First World War. A panel in their memory was added to the screen wall when it became evident that their graves in Tanooma Chinese Cemetery could no longer be maintained. During the Second World War, Basra was the scene of fighting from 2 - 7 May 1941 when Iraqi forces were driven from the town, which then became a base for Commonwealth forces. Basra War Cemetery was used once again and after the war, further graves were brought in from other burials grounds in Iraq and Iran. There are now 365 Second World War burials in the cemetery. In addition, there are 36 war graves of other nationalities, many of them Polish, and 16 non-war burials. Directly opposite Basra War Cemetery is the Basra Indian Forces Cemetery containing burials of both wars, and the Basra Cremation Memorial commemorating Indian casualties of the Second World War whose remains were cremated in accordance with their faith.
No. of Identified Casualties - 2893
Commonwealth War Graves in Iraq - Statement
The security situation in Iraq continues to give cause for concern, making it impossible for the Commission to commence work on its five year renovation and restoration programme. Work has continued at Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery, which has been cleared of undergrowth after the autumn rains, and in the south at Amara and Basra, on general tidying maintenance
and boundary definition with the assistance of coalition forces. There is twenty-four hour watchman's surveillance at Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery and the Commission's local representative is able to visit a number of sites on a regular basis. A recent review decided that the situation could not be properly assessed until the security situation in Iraq has improved.
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Topic: Basra (Read 1259 times)