Abbasiya Indian Cemetery
- Country Egypt
- Total identified casualties 75 Find these casualties
- Identified casualties from First World War
- GPS Coordinates Latitude: 30.05034, Longitude: 31.27791
Historical Note
At the time of construction, the casualties at this site were commemorated collectively on a memorial within the cemetery without their names. The individual graves were not marked, although the names of casualties known to be commemorated here were included in a cemetery register. In 1996, the names of all identified casualties within the cemetery were added to the memorial.
You can find more information about historical inequalities in commemoration in our Special Committee’s report.
Location information
This cemetery is within the Abbasiya cemetery complex, in the area known as Gebbel al Ahdal (Green Mountain Area), approximately 10 kilometres east of Cairo city centre. Visitors are advised to be accompanied and would best reach the cemetery by private car or taxi. The cemetery complex can be reached by use of the 'autostrada', this is the main dual carriageway which passes near the Citadel on the way to Nasr City. Approximately 200 metres diagonally opposite the entrance to the 'Arab Contractors Hospital' a road leads north from the autostrada and the cemetery complex gate is approximately 50 metres from this junction on the right. The cemetery is reached on foot, passing around a centrally placed memorial building and then turning left between privately owned vaults and memorials. The cemetery is in fact a plot surrounded by a low stone wall and the 11 Hindu and 64 Muslim commemorations are upon separate memorials located in the front right of the plot.
Visiting information
No Commission staff are permanently in place here, however access is normally available at all times.
For further information and enquiries please contact enquiries@cwgc.org
History information
At the outbreak of the First World War, Cairo was the headquarters of the United Kingdom garrison in Egypt and it became, with Alexandria, the main base hospital centre for operations in Gallipoli, Egypt and Palestine.
At El Abbasiya there were established a remount depot, Indian General Hospitals and field ambulances, a prisoners of war hospital, a cremation ground, and this cemetery, which was used from May 1918 to December 1920.
There are now a total of 75 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War commemorated in this cemetery.