Singapore

Kranji

Kranji  War  Memorial  and Cemetery  is  located  north  of  the centre  of  Singapore,  overlooking the Straits  of Jahore,  which joins  the  island to the mainland of Malaya..  At the time  of  the Japanese  invasion in 1939,  Kranji  was a military camp.  The  cemetery  was originated  on  this  same spot  by  the  burial   of  the  first  few  prisoners.

The  stone  Kranji Memorial is dedicated  to  the  24, 346  soldiers  and airmen of the British Commonwealth and Empire  who  have  no  known grave,  of which 9,295  are  British.   The  Memorial  (also known  as  the Singapore Memorial) is  made up  of 13   flat  concrete  columns  which  bear  the  names  of  these  24,346 men.  It  is situated  behind  the  Cross of Sacrifice  on a  small  grassy hill,   a short flight  of  white  steps spans  the  front  which  leads up  to a terrace of grass on  which  the  Memorial stands.

The  War Cemetery  which  is  in front  of  the  Cross of  Sacrifice  and  the  Memorial,  contains  the graves  of  4,465 men,  of  which   2445  are British, including  589  unknown  graves.  Each grave  is marked by a tall white  headstone  and  bears a  carved  out  regiment  insignia.   They  stand in rows  between  smooth green grass and  flowerings  shrubs  and  trees.   The  entire  cemetery  is surrounded  by an evergreen  hedge