The Suez War Memorial Cemetery is based seven kilometres west of the Suez town centre. If you are travelling from Cairo you will drive along the Cairo/Suez Roads, a direct traffic link between the cities. When you reach Suez via this route you’ll come to a roundabout/T junction which is signed and will direct you left. Follow as directed and continue along the road to a traffic light where you will again turn left. Continue travelling along this road for several hundred metres until you see a large communications pylon on your right, turn right just before the pylon. A short way along this road you will find signs directing you to the Suez War Memorial Cemetery on your left and the Suez African and Indian Army Cemetery is to your right.
There are 890 Commonwealth war graves at the Suez War Memorial Cemetery, 55 of those interred here are Australian, 42 from the First World War and 13 from the Second. There are also a number of men commemorated in a special memorial inside the cemetery, men who are known to be buried inside the cemetery and surrounding areas but whose graves could not be located.
The Suez War Memorial Cemetery was opened in 1918. The region played a key role in the war as a hospital centre, hosting two Indian general hospitals, two stationary hospitals and casualty clearing stations. Prior to 1918 bodies were buried in the nearby Protestant cemetery and these would later be moved to the Suez War Memorial Cemetery. The close by Arbain Indian Cemetery was also included in to the new cemetery, however its graves aren’t marked by stones or crosses, but their names inscribed on screen wall panels at the front of the burials.
Image: Suez War Memorial Cemetery.
Creator: Christopher Karykides