BAGHDAD (NORTH GATE) WAR CEMETERY
Baghdad
Iraq
Location Information
Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery is located in a very sensitive area in the Waziriah Area of the Al-Russafa district of Baghdad. The main entrance to the cemetery is located opposite the College of Arts and the Institute of Administration in Baghdad University and adjacent to the Iraqi Cigarette Factory in Waziriah Area and the Press of Ministry of Defence.
Visiting Information
The erection of 511 headstones, with new concrete bases, as well as repair to the boundary fence was completed in 2012. The CWGC is currently erecting a further 500 headstones.
Whilst the current climate of political instability persists it is extremely challenging for the Commission to manage or maintain its cemeteries and memorials located within Iraq. A two volume Roll of Honour listing all casualties buried and commemorated in Iraq has been produced. These volumes are on display at the Commission's Head Office in Maidenhead and are available for the public to view.
Before considering a visit to Iraq 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/
Historical Information
In 1914, Baghdad was the headquarters of the Turkish Army in Mesopotamia. It was the ultimate objective of the Indian Expeditionary Force 'D' and the goal of the force besieged and captured at Kut in 1916. The city finally fell in March 1917, but the position was not fully consolidated until the end of April. Nevertheless, it had by that time become the Expeditionary Force's advanced base, with two stationary hospitals and three casualty clearing stations.
The North Gate Cemetery was begun In April 1917 and has been greatly enlarged since the end of the First World War by graves brought in from other burial grounds in Baghdad and northern Iraq, and from battlefields and cemeteries in Anatolia where Commonwealth prisoners of war were buried by the Turks.
At present, 4,160 Commonwealth casualties of the First World War are commemorated by name in the cemetery, many of them on special memorials. Unidentified burials from this period number 2,729.
The cemetery also contains the grave of Lieutenant General Sir Stanley Maude, Commander-in-Chief of the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force, who died at Baghdad in November 1917 and the memorial to the 13th Division which he commanded. A memorial to the 6th Battalion Loyal (North Lancashire) Regiment was brought into the cemetery from the banks of the Diyala River in 1947.
During the Second World War, Baghdad was again an objective of Commonwealth forces. The 20th Indian Infantry Brigade reached the city from Shaiba by the Euphrates route on 12 June 1941 and the 21st Indian Infantry Brigade, part of the 13th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers, together with the 157th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, arrived on 19 June via the Tigris. An advanced base was established later near the city and remained in use until 1946.
Most of the 296 Commonwealth servicemen of the Second World War buried in the cemetery died of illness or by accident when serving with PAIFORCE. Again, a number of the graves were brought in from other burial grounds.
Within the cemetery is the Baghdad (North Gate) (Khanaqin) Memorial, commemorating 104 Commonwealth servicemen, 437 Polish soldiers and 3 Arab Legionnaires of the Second World War buried in Khanaqin War Cemetery which, owing to difficulty of access, could not be properly maintained.
The North Gate Cemetery also contains 127 war graves of other nationalities from both wars, 100 of them Turkish, and 41 non-war graves.
Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery is located in a very sensitive area in the Waziriah Area of the Al-Russafa district of Baghdad. The main entrance to the cemetery is located opposite the College of Arts and the Institute of Administration in Baghdad University and adjacent to the Iraqi Cigarette Factory in Waziriah Area and the Press of Ministry of Defence.
Visiting Information
The erection of 511 headstones, with new concrete bases, as well as repair to the boundary fence was completed in 2012. The CWGC is currently erecting a further 500 headstones.
Whilst the current climate of political instability persists it is extremely challenging for the Commission to manage or maintain its cemeteries and memorials located within Iraq. A two volume Roll of Honour listing all casualties buried and commemorated in Iraq has been produced. These volumes are on display at the Commission's Head Office in Maidenhead and are available for the public to view.
Before considering a visit to Iraq 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/
Historical Information
In 1914, Baghdad was the headquarters of the Turkish Army in Mesopotamia. It was the ultimate objective of the Indian Expeditionary Force 'D' and the goal of the force besieged and captured at Kut in 1916. The city finally fell in March 1917, but the position was not fully consolidated until the end of April. Nevertheless, it had by that time become the Expeditionary Force's advanced base, with two stationary hospitals and three casualty clearing stations.
The North Gate Cemetery was begun In April 1917 and has been greatly enlarged since the end of the First World War by graves brought in from other burial grounds in Baghdad and northern Iraq, and from battlefields and cemeteries in Anatolia where Commonwealth prisoners of war were buried by the Turks.
At present, 4,160 Commonwealth casualties of the First World War are commemorated by name in the cemetery, many of them on special memorials. Unidentified burials from this period number 2,729.
The cemetery also contains the grave of Lieutenant General Sir Stanley Maude, Commander-in-Chief of the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force, who died at Baghdad in November 1917 and the memorial to the 13th Division which he commanded. A memorial to the 6th Battalion Loyal (North Lancashire) Regiment was brought into the cemetery from the banks of the Diyala River in 1947.
During the Second World War, Baghdad was again an objective of Commonwealth forces. The 20th Indian Infantry Brigade reached the city from Shaiba by the Euphrates route on 12 June 1941 and the 21st Indian Infantry Brigade, part of the 13th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers, together with the 157th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, arrived on 19 June via the Tigris. An advanced base was established later near the city and remained in use until 1946.
Most of the 296 Commonwealth servicemen of the Second World War buried in the cemetery died of illness or by accident when serving with PAIFORCE. Again, a number of the graves were brought in from other burial grounds.
Within the cemetery is the Baghdad (North Gate) (Khanaqin) Memorial, commemorating 104 Commonwealth servicemen, 437 Polish soldiers and 3 Arab Legionnaires of the Second World War buried in Khanaqin War Cemetery which, owing to difficulty of access, could not be properly maintained.
The North Gate Cemetery also contains 127 war graves of other nationalities from both wars, 100 of them Turkish, and 41 non-war graves.
36723 Private
Fred Bentley (Served as William Hall)
South Lancashire Regiment
Died of enteric fever 19th July 1917, aged 20.
Plot XV. C. 4.
Lived at 122 Lowerhouse Lane, Burnley, Lancashire.
Fred Bentley (Served as William Hall)
South Lancashire Regiment
Died of enteric fever 19th July 1917, aged 20.
Plot XV. C. 4.
Lived at 122 Lowerhouse Lane, Burnley, Lancashire.
66827 Gunner
Ben Bulcock
Royal Field Artillery 6th Ammunition Column
Died 18th August 1916.
Plot XXI. B. 13.
Lived at 24 Palmeston Street, Padiham
Ben Bulcock
Royal Field Artillery 6th Ammunition Column
Died 18th August 1916.
Plot XXI. B. 13.
Lived at 24 Palmeston Street, Padiham
28606 Private
William James Dewhurst
6th East Lancashire Regiment
Died 2nd January 1918, aged 24.
Plot XIX. H. 2.
Husband of Caroline Agnes Dewhurst, of 62, Lowerhouse Lane, Rose Grove, Burnley.
William James Dewhurst
6th East Lancashire Regiment
Died 2nd January 1918, aged 24.
Plot XIX. H. 2.
Husband of Caroline Agnes Dewhurst, of 62, Lowerhouse Lane, Rose Grove, Burnley.
35300 Private
William Henry Fyles
6th East Lancashire Regiment
Died 16th July 1917 of heatstroke, aged 33.
Plot XX. J. 2.
Lived at 55 Spencer Street, Burnley, Lancashire.
William Henry Fyles
6th East Lancashire Regiment
Died 16th July 1917 of heatstroke, aged 33.
Plot XX. J. 2.
Lived at 55 Spencer Street, Burnley, Lancashire.
8651 Private
Frederick George Giles
2nd Bn. Dorsetshire Regiment
6th September 1916, aged 27.
Plot XXI. C. 39.
Son of Alfred Edwin Giles, of Tarrant Gunville, Blandford, Dorset.
Frederick George Giles
2nd Bn. Dorsetshire Regiment
6th September 1916, aged 27.
Plot XXI. C. 39.
Son of Alfred Edwin Giles, of Tarrant Gunville, Blandford, Dorset.
8443 Private
T. Gosney
2nd Bn. Dorsetshire Regiment
26th July 1916.
Plot XXI. C. 42.
T. Gosney
2nd Bn. Dorsetshire Regiment
26th July 1916.
Plot XXI. C. 42.
2930 Private
Godfrey Jubilee Harris
1st/1st Queen's Own Worcestershire Hussars (Worcester Yeomanry)
16th August 1916, aged 19.
Plot XXI. L. 19.
Son of George and Ellen Harris, of 75, Church Rd., Rainbow Hill, Worcester.
Godfrey Jubilee Harris
1st/1st Queen's Own Worcestershire Hussars (Worcester Yeomanry)
16th August 1916, aged 19.
Plot XXI. L. 19.
Son of George and Ellen Harris, of 75, Church Rd., Rainbow Hill, Worcester.
