Addu Atoll Memorial
- Country Maldives
- Total identified casualties 70 Find these casualties
- Identified casualties from Second World War
- GPS Coordinates Latitude: -0.689, Longitude: 73.15062
Location information
Addu Atoll is one of the most southerly of the Maldive Islands, a group of coral atolls in the Indian Ocean, 644 kilometres south-west of Sri Lanka. The memorial stands on a small lawn immediately in front of the former Royal Air Force Headquarters at Gan. It is in the form of a rectangular stone pillar bearing on three of its faces marble panels upon which the names are carved. On the fourth face a panel of the same marble bears an explanatory inscription in English, Hindi and Urdu. This reads: 1939 - 1945 THOSE COMMEMORATED HERE DIED IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY. THE MORTAL REMAINS OF SOME WERE COMMITTED TO FIRE AND OTHERS LIE BURIED ELSEWHERE ON ADDU ATOLL
History information
Addu Atoll is one of the most southerly of the Maldive Islands, a group of coral atolls in the Indian Ocean 644 kilometres south-west of Sri Lanka, (formerly Ceylon). After the loss of Singapore additional bases in the Indian Ocean were necessary, and early in 1942 a naval base was rapidly and secretly built on Addu Atoll, and was already usable in April of that year when the first Japanese naval raid into the Indian Ocean occurred. A Royal Air Force Station also was soon established, and the island was garrisoned by units of the India, who also provided the labour units for work on the airfield and defences. Climatic and other conditions at first caused a very high sick rate among these men, and the remains of those who succumbed were either buried on the island or cremated.
The memorial commemorates 70 casualties of the Indian Forces who died on the Maldive Islands during the years 1942 to 1944.