Kandy War Cemetery

The Second World War is by far the most gruesome time that history has ever recorded. Unlike the other battles between powerful countries, the First and the Second World War affected almost every country that was then under the British and other European colonies.

Their name liveth for evermore

The Kandy war cemetery (formerly known as Pitakande Military Cemetery), bears witness that Sri Lanka, which was then under the British Empire also played a part in the war. History records that Kandy was an important center and was the then headquarters of the South East Asian command from April 1944.

The cemetery holds over two hundred casualties from the WW2 and one casualty from WW1. The buried consist of both British and Colonial army soldiers, air force, navy, merchant navy and also national fire service. Two out of the 203 buried are unidentified even to date.

This beautifully maintained Kandy War Cemetery is visited by families and loved ones from around the world who wish to pay their respects for those who fought in the name of peace and patriotism. The cemetery is officially open for visitors daily from 07h00 – 16h00 and outside of these hours the cemetery is locked.

If you ever visit this war cemetery that celebrates lives known and unknown during the war, it is sure to leave you with a bittersweet feeling.











picture credits by YAMU
Written By: Kavisha Perera