Kuala Lumpur (Cheras Road) Civil Cemetery
- Country Malaysia
- Total identified casualties 156 Find these casualties
- Identified casualties from Second World War
- GPS Coordinates Latitude: 3.10948, Longitude: 101.73021
Please note
It is important to check the weather forecast before visiting the cemetery, as it is located in an exposed location. In addition, there may be snakes present.
Location information
The Cemetery is situated south of Kuala Lumpur, on the left hand side of the main Cheras highway. It can be reached by turning left into Jalan Kuari approximately 4 miles from central Kuala Lumpur. Crossing the car park, follow the top left hand lane to the end, thus reaching the Commonwealth Cemetery gate. The Commonwealth Cemetery is enclosed by a perimeter fence and evergreen hedge and backs onto the new highway. The graves in the Roman Catholic Plot of the cemetery can be found on high ground to the right of the Commonwealth cemetery, on the left of the narrow tarmac road, just before the small chapel.
Visiting information
Kuala Lumpur (Cheras Road) Civil Cemetery is open at all times. Staff on site Monday-Friday 07:00-16:00. Wheelchair access is available via a ramped entrance to the side of the main gate.
History information
At the time of the Japanese invasion of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur was the headquarters of the 3rd Indian Corps. Early in 1941 part of the recently raised 8th Division of the Australian Infantry Force was assigned to Malaya, a territory of strategic importance to Australia. The headquarters divisional staff arrived on February 18th in advance of the main force, which numbered some 6,000 men, and the divisional headquarters and attached units were posted at Kuala Lumpur. As the Japanese moved successfully down the peninsula a temporary prisoner-of-war camp was established at Pudu jail, to which United Kingdom and Commonwealth serviceman were taken before being sent to Changi Camp on Singapore island. Some of them died, of wounds or sickness, while in this camp and were buried in the Cheras Road Cemetery.
There are 156 Commonwealth burials of the 1939-1945 war here. In addition, there are over 600 non world war burials of servicemen and dependants here, 5 being unidentified children of Gurkha soldiers.