Kohima: Senior officials from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission commemorated the 70th anniversary of one of the fiercest battles of the Second World War the Battle of Kohima at a ceremony on Tuesday at the CWGC Kohima War Cemetery in Nagaland.
Supreme allied commander and former viceroy of India Louis Mountbatten had described the battles as “probably one of the greatest battles in history.” The Japanese advances into India were stopped on April 4, 1944 in Kohima.
On April 3, 1944, Japanese troops attacked India to capture Kohima ridge, a feature which dominates the road by which the besieged British and Indian troops at Imphal were supplied. Till April 16 they attempted to capture the ridge.
However, the British and Indian reinforcements counter-attacked to drive the Japanese from the positions they had captured. The Japanese abandoned the ridge on May 13 but continued to block the Kohima–Imphal road. From May 16 to
June 22, the British and Indian troops pursued the retreating Japanese and reopened the road, ending the battle.
To commemorate those who died, Sir Joe French, vice chairman, of CWGC, unveiled Visitor Information Panel. This uses the latest smartphone technology to describe the fierce fighting and reveals the personal stories of some of those who are buried in the cemetery.
Mr French said, “I am greatly honoured to visit Kohima War Cemetery. The work that the CWGC does to maintain this cemetery will help future generations understand and remember the great sacrifices made by the servicemen in 1944.”
The CWGC maintains the graves of the 1.7 million Commonwealth servicemen who died during the two world wars.
