Many may not know that there are as many as 130 British soldiers and officers, who died in the First World War, buried in four cemeteries in the Twin Cities, particularly Secunderabad Cantonment.
At least one grave dates back to 1905 and the soldier lies buried at Cemetery 12 in Trimulgherry amid round-the-clock surveillance by the Army. For the record, the graves of the British soldiers and officers are located at Cemetery No 12, Trimulgherry, Bolarum Cavalry Barracks Cemetery, Secunderabad European Roman Catholic Cemetery and Secunderabad Cemetery near Parade Grounds.
The break-up of graves include 94 in Cemetery 12 at the Trimulgherry, 23 (Bolarum Cavalry Barracks Cemetery), 11 (Secunderabad Cemetery) and two at Secunderabad European Roman Catholic Cemetery, Mettuguda.
Even after close to a century, these graves look neat and clean. The four cemeteries are listed in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), which honours the 1.7 million men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died in the First and Second World Wars, and ensures they will never be forgotten. A look at the graves will reveal that each individual deceased soldier/officer is commemorated by his name on the headstone, which are of uniform size. There should be equality of treatment for the war dead irrespective of rank or religion, the CWGC says according to its website.
One of the caretaker at the Cemetery12 told The Hindu on condition of anonymity that every year officials of the CWGC from Kirkhee near Pune come and inspect the graves. A nominal fund is also earmarked for maintaining these graves. Interestingly, most of the soldiers/officers who died were in the age group of 19-41. Also, there are graves of three infants, whose fathers served in the British Army and Air Force.
