ANZAC Day marks the anniversary of the landings by Australian and New Zealand soldiers in southern Turkey in 1915. On this day our two countries commemorate and honour their countrymen who died in the First and Second World Wars and in other conflicts.
To commemorate ANZAC Day, the Australian High Commission in conjunction with the New Zealand High Commission will be hosting the traditional ANZAC Day Dawn Service on Wednesday 25th of April 2012 at the Delhi War Cemetery, located at Delhi Cantt.
An invitation is extended to attend the Service which will commence at 0530 hrs. A location map and information sheet for the Delhi War Cemetery is attached.
Following the Service, a traditional ‘diggers’ breakfast will be served on the lawns of the Australian High Commission to those who have attended the Service.
For catering purposes, please confirm attendance to the Service and ‘diggers’ breakfast by 20 April 2012 to the Defence Office Manager Sandro Doimo on 4139 9985 or [email protected]. A break-up of adults and children (including ages) is required.
Access to the Australian High Commission will be via Security Gate 5. Only those who have confirmed attendance will be granted access upon presentation of photo identification.
Cemetery Details
Cemetery: Delhi War Cemetery
Country: India
Locality: Delhi Cantt, New Delhi
Visiting Information: Wheelchair access to the cemetery is possible via main entrance. For further information regarding wheelchair access, please contact our Enquiries Section on telephone number 01628 507200.
Location Information: Proceed to Delhi Cantonment by taking the Ring Road in the direction of Nariana from Dhaula Kuan multi-level crossing and continue for 3 km to reach Brar Square traffic junction. There are roadside boards on both sides of this junction. Take a right turn over the railway crossing and after approximately 1km, you will find the cemetery on the right hand side of the road.
Historical Information: Delhi War Cemetery was created in 1951 when graves from many cemeteries in northern India were moved into the site to ensure their permanent maintenance. Among them are graves from cantonment cemeteries in Allahabad, Cawnpore, Dehra Dun and Lucknow. There are now 1,022 Commonwealth casualties of the Second World War buried, or commemorated by special memorial, in this cemetery together with a number of war graves of other nationalities, mostly Dutch. In 1966, 99 First World War burials were moved into the cemetery from Nicholson Cemetery, Kashmir Gate, Delhi, so that their permanent maintenance could be assured.
A special memorial commemorates one casualty whose grave remains in Nicholson Cemetery. Delhi War Cemetery also contains the DELHI 1914-18 MEMORIAL, commemorating 153 casualties buried in Meerut Cantonment Cemetery where their graves could no longer be maintained. More than 25,000 servicemen of the forces of undivided India died during the Second World War in non-operational zones, for example while serving with regimental depots or with other static units. Their remains were accorded the last rites and disposal required by their various religions and their names are commemorated at memorials in the capital cities of India and Pakistan. The DELHI 1939-45 WAR MEMORIAL forms the entrance to Delhi War Cemetery and an identical memorial stands in Karachi War Cemetery. No names appear on the memorials but a Roll of Honour at each site, one in Hindi, the other in Urdu, record the names of those commemorated.
No. of Identified Casualties: 1155 (Figure includes Foreign and Non-World War graves in Commonwealth War Graves Commission care.
Note: Information sourced from Commonwealth War Graves Commission website – http://www.cwgc.org/search/cemetery_details.aspx?cemetery=92000&mode=1