Commonwealth WW1 Cemetery

This cemetery, together with the World War Two cemetry is situated at the rear of St Mary’ s cemetery in Chennai. This cemetery is some distance from St Mary’s Church at Fort St George. On first sight the cemetery looks and is completely unkempt, overgrown and degenerating into piles of rubble. However, at the back of this are the two Commonwealth cemeteries which are immaculately kept. The two cemeteries are separate but close to each other.

In the First World War cemetery there are 17 graves marked by the Commonwealth headstones and 4 others.

This is the headstone of 34368 Private C Wright, Kings Own, Royal Lancaster Regiment. 7th November 1917.

The Kings Own

Royal Dublin Fusiliers. Private E Coughlan. 1st Battalion. 17 October 1914

850333 Gunner W May. Royal Field Artillery. 19 September 1918

G/49091 Serjeant E L Walden. Middlesex Regiment. 27 September 1918. Age 21

36898 C Serjt Major W Hedges. South Lancashire Regiment. 29 March 1919

212622 Rifleman J Bowett. The Rifle Brigade. 24 May 1919. Age 42

22937 Serjeant E A Irons. Royal Warwickshire Regiment, Attached, Supply and Transport Corps. 6 June 1919

Conductor T Marner. Indian Ordnance Dept.. 24 May 1919

32650 Private J T Ralley. Supply and Transport Corps. 19 July 1917

200248 Private  T Burnett. Devonshire Regiment. 14 July 1917

21968 Private G Thornton. Yorkshire Regiment. 8 July 1917. Age 31

55345 Bombadier G Cresswell. Royal Horse Artillery. 3 July 1917

23725 Serjeant C R Hobbs. Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. 14 October 1916

2906 Private R Leekblade. Hampshire Regiment. 10 October 1916

Lieutentant J R Rishworth. Supply and Transport Corps. 15 June 1915

Major G E Brand. Mil.works services India. 6 August 1918. Age 53

1797 Private P E Cole. Hampshire Regiment. 18 October 1915. Age 19

3034 Private J Thorne. Devonshire Regiment. 10 August 1915. Age 41

Captain Fred. Ronald Hartley. Late of the 2nd Battalion Manchester Regiment. M.E.S and P.W.D Madras. died 11 July 1936 Age 49 .

2405 Private Mark Rowland 2/4th Battalion Devonshire regiment. Died March 1915. Age 26 years

9205 Private Alfred Chamberlain. F Log. Dorset Regiment. Died Madras, India 8 February 1910. Age 31 years and 9 months. This monument was erected by the NCOs and men of F Coy. Dorset Regiment

Alfred Galpin Hawkins. Born 18 May 1871. Died 2 April 1914

William beloved husband of Blanche Wingfield. Died 24 May 1911. Age 67

Gibraltar. Sacred to the memory of Corporal David Cook. Royal marines of HMS Kenya. Died 30 March 1952. Erected by his shipmates (in old cemetery)

Alexander Morrison. Surgeon HM 34th Regiment foot. Died 17 July 1805. In the 33rd year of his age (in old cemetery)

21968 Private G Thornton. Yorkshire regiment