Cemeteries are, generally gloomy places!! Kohima's second world war cemetery, however, is not such a place. No place so beautifully situated, so superbly maintained, and dedicated to the memories of those who sacrificed their fives regardless of race, nationality or religion can be gloomy.Kohima War Cemetery offers a space for a quiet moment of a contemplative stroll with friends & family. This is a symbolic memorial raised as a citation for the supreme sacrifices made by the officers and men of the allied forces, to halt the tide of the Japanese onslaught during the Second World War. This was their last post. The cemetery is beautifully and meticulously maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The cemetery lies on the slopes of Garrison Hill, in what was once the Deputy Commissioner's tennis court which was the scene of the Battle of the Tennis Court. The epitaph carved on the memorial of the 2nd British Division in the cemetery
"When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say,For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today"
has become world-famous as the Kohima Epitaph. The verse is attributed to John Maxwell Edmonds (1875 -1958), and is thought to have been inspired by the epitaph written by Simonides to honour the Greek who fell at the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC.
"When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say,For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today"
has become world-famous as the Kohima Epitaph. The verse is attributed to John Maxwell Edmonds (1875 -1958), and is thought to have been inspired by the epitaph written by Simonides to honour the Greek who fell at the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC.
The Kohima war cemetery is serene and beautiful. Roses bloom in season, the grass is always billiard-table smooth and two tall crosses stand at the lowest and highest points of the cemetery overlooking Kohima. between them, and stretching all the way across this gently rising hill in the centre of the town, are stone markers with shining bronze plaques. Each commemorates the name of a single man who gave his life for freedom. At the base of the upper cross there is an inscription which says : "Here, around the tennis court of the deputy commissioner the men who fought in the battle of Kohima in which they and their comrades finally halted the invasion of India by the forces of Japan in April 1944".
To one side of this memorial cross, and often missed by visitors, there is a tree with a small plaque on it. The plaque says: This flowering cherry tree is of historical interest.
The original tree was used as a sniper's post by the Japanese and was destroyed in the fighting which raged round the tennis court and marked the limit of the Japanese advance into India. The present tree is from a branch from the old one.
To one side of this memorial cross, and often missed by visitors, there is a tree with a small plaque on it. The plaque says: This flowering cherry tree is of historical interest.
The original tree was used as a sniper's post by the Japanese and was destroyed in the fighting which raged round the tennis court and marked the limit of the Japanese advance into India. The present tree is from a branch from the old one.
1 comment:
Post a Comment