As a part of the centenary celebrations of the First World War, casualties are being commemorated at their graves in India for the first time since 1947, the culmination of a ten-year project spearheaded by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC).
The first of 100 CWGC headstones going into the ground this month at Meerut Cantonment Cemetery in northern India was installed last week.
Until now, the fallen have been commemorated remotely on collective memorials at Delhi War Cemetery, Kirkee War Cemetery and Madras War Cemetery.
By the end of 2015, 2,486 First World War graves currently with broken or missing headstones will receive CWGC headstones.
CWGC headstones are widely recognised for representing among the most poignant and fitting tributes to the sacrifices made by Commonwealth servicemen; they are uniform, with no distinction made on account of military or civil rank, race or creed.
In 2005 the CWGC established that improvements to road infrastructure made it possible to reach previously out-of-range sites, often overgrown cemeteries in cut-off locations.
The CWGC will ensure the graves are maintained and looked after in perpetuity, along with those of the other 1.7million Commonwealth servicemen and women in its care.
Keneilhouzo Sekhose, CWGC Sector Manager, India said: “Meerut Cantonment Cemetery was chosen as the first Indian site to receive replacement headstones as it contains the most world war burials.”
“This cemetery, along with the other cantonment burial grounds in India, is not owned by the CWGC. However, we will work with our partners in India to ensure the headstones are preserved to the same standard as the other CWGC graves and memorials we look after in over 150 countries.”
