Kranji Commonwealth War Cemetery, War Memorial and State Cemetery Visit

CWGC Cemetery Office, Quarters & Nursery Area

The cemetery office and quarters are located at the right side near the cemetery entrance.




It is guarded by an alert looking dog. So I did not go in.



 
Since the people here maintain the grounds of the cemetery and memorial, it is not surprising to find that the office and quarters are immculately tended to.




There is a nursery area to maintain all the beautiful plants and grass found all over the memorial and cemetery. Among all those plants we spotted some chickens reared most likely by the caretakers of the area.





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Kranji Commonwealth War Cemetery, War Memorial and State Cemetery Visit

Special Memorials

For more information on each of the memorials below click on the Wikipedia link on Kranji War Cemetery and scroll down to the middle of the article.

Unmaintainable Graves Memorial

On the right of the Kranji War Memorial is the Unmaintainable Graves Memorial. The inscription reads "These Soldiers Died Serving Their Country And Lie Buried Elsewhere In Malaya". According to Wikipedia it commemorates the over 250 troops killed in action in British Malay whose graves, whilst known, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission were unable to maintain and whose bodies could not be moved due to religious conviction.

The Cremation Memorial

The Cremation Memorial can be found at the back of the Kranji War Memorial. The following words are inscribed "In Honour Of These Officers And Men Who Died In Battle And Whose Mortal Remains Were Committed To Fire". These were casualties who were cremated as part of their religious beliefs.

Civil Hospital Grave Memorial

Civil Hospital Grave Memorial is located on the left of the Kranji War Memorial. The inscribed words are "The Soldiers Whose Memory is Honoured Here Perished In Captivity in February 1942 and Lie Buried in One Grave in The Grounds of Singapore Civil General Hospital". It is a mass grave.

Chinese Memorial

Chinese Memorial can be found on the right and further away from the Kranji War Memorial. The inscription reads "The Men Whose Names Are Recorded On These Panels Perished in Captivity in February 1942 and Lie Buried Here in One Grave With Ten Comrades Whose Names are Not Known""






Next: Cross of Sacrifice & Surrounding Features
Back: The Kranji War Memorial

Kranji Commonwealth War Cemetery, War Memorial and State Cemetery Visit

Kranji War Memorial

The Kranji War Memorial looks very imposing indeed and has a very sterile and clean look since it is made up of mostly bare concrete that blends well with the cemetery headstones.




The plaque gives a short tribute to the fallen whose names are inscribed on the walls of the memorial.



 
Like most of the inscriptions found in and around the cemetery and memorial, the inscriptions on the walls of the memorial are carved out in the bare concrete.




A typical part of the wall is just filled with names and are grouped according to the units they belonged to. This one shows Commonwealth units of Indian origin.




Here is a shot of the memorial with a Cross of Sacrifice at the left foreground.




And here is another shot of the memorial further back and from a more sideways angles




Finally, a close up shot of the ball and star found on top of the Kranji War Memorial. No idea how it is maintained so well up there.





Next: Special Memorials
Back: The Kranji Commonwealth War Cemetery

Kranji Commonwealth War Cemetery, War Memorial and State Cemetery Visit

Prologue

After perhaps what was years of procrastination, I have finally made my way with my Dad to Kranji War Memorial to visit the Kranji War Memorial. These men and women who had sacrificed more than anyone of us and it is with no small sacrifice of these people whom I strongly believe that we owe a lot to, but somehow sadly seem to overlook often, that has brought our nation where it is today.

Perhaps more would come I hope in the future to pay tribute, look around those who are no longer here and just say in their hearts a simple "thank you" and to carry on their memory. A small thing to do no? for something as intangible and invaluable they gave up. Whether it was for us, for comrades, for someone else, for King or for country, they deserve a note of thanks and gratefulness from us.

Someone summed it up nicely with an epitaph inscription in The War Cemetery in Kohima, Burma which reads "When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say, For Your Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today".


Before we begin, for those who want a more in-depth background of the site and surrounding features, here are the recommended links below

1. Commonwealth War Graves Commission link about Kranji War Cemetery. A PDF of the layout can be found at the CWGC website in a linked "View Cemetery Plan" on the right side.
2. Wikipedia Page about Kranji War Memorial
3. Wikipedia Page about Kranji State Cemetery
4. YourSingapore a Singapore Tourism Board destination brand site about Kranji War Memorial
5. Wikipedia Page about Cross of Sacrifice

Next: The Entrance