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Colombo (Liveramentu) Memorial Tablets

  • Country Sri Lanka
  • Total identified casualties 345 Find these casualties
  • Identified casualties from Second World War
  • GPS Coordinates Latitude: 6.89581, Longitude: 79.86838

Location information

Colombo (Liveramentu) Cemetery, in which the Memorial Tablets will be found, is a large municipal cemetery about 1.5 kilometres from the centre of the city of Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Torrington Avenue in the direction of Jaawatte, and is known locally as Jaawatte Cemetery. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission Plot is in the left rear corner of the cemetery.

Visiting information

Before considering a visit to Sri Lanka the Commission strongly recommends that you check the advice given by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office on the travel section of their website:

www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/

Wheelchair access to this site is possible via main entrance. For further information regarding wheelchair access, please contact our Enquiries Section on 01628 507200.

This cemetery is open every day between 07:00-16:00. There is no resident caretaker so the cemetery cannot be accessed outside of these hours.

History information

On these Memorial Tablets are carved the names of over 300 men who died while serving in Sri Lanka, whose graves either could not be found or, if found, could neither be permanently maintained nor (for religious or other reasons) moved to cemeteries where their maintenance for all time would be assured.

The Memorial Tablets are of Portland stone and are affixed to the low walls forming the entrance to the Commission's War Graves Plot within the cemetery. On the threshold is a stone seat into which is built a box to house the register of names, and to this seat are affixed similar tablets bearing the dedicatory inscription in three languages, English, Hindi and Sinhalese. This inscription reads:

1939 - 1945 THE OFFICERS AND MEN WHOSE MEMORY IS HONOURED HERE DIED IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY AND LIE BURIED ELSEWHERE IN SRI LANKA