Voi Cemetery

• Country Kenya
• Total identified casualties 136 Find these casualties
• Identified casualties from First World War
• GPS Coordinates Latitude: -3.39021, Longitude: 38.56679

Location information

Voi is a small town approximately 160 kilometres from Mombasa and is just north of the main highway between Nairobi and Mombasa. Voi is reached by turning off the main highway and following the minor road to Voi centre. The cemetery is approximately 400 metres east of the railway station and there is a Commission sign opposite the entrance. The cemetery is surrounded by a green metal pale fence and is set back a small distance from the road.

Visiting information

ARRIVAL

The route to the cemetery is signposted.

PARKING

There is an area of compacted earth and sand at the front of the cemetery where vehicles can park.

ACCESS, LAYOUT AND MAIN ENTRANCE

From the space at the front of the cemetery, a path marked with kerbstone edges on either side, 10 to 15 cm above the uncompacted gravel surface runs towards the main entrance.

The cemetery is enclosed within a green metal (security) fence and hedge.

The main gate is approximately 1 metre tall, and has two sections that open inwards into the cemetery, each section 1.2 metres wide, and is padlocked outside of working hours. There is a concrete strip level with the gravel across the width of the entrance gate. There is a small metal gate stopper located in the middle of the entrance gate in front of the concrete strip.

The Cross of Sacrifice is in the centre of the cemetery, on a raised platform. There are 3 stone steps from ground level leading up to the platform.

The internal paths are aggregate and gravel, the ground is firm.

There is a seating area with a green concrete bench at the rear of the cemetery.

There is a metal information plaque on a pillar just inside the main entrance.

ALTERNATIVE ACCESS

There are no alternative entrances to the cemetery.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The cemetery is open during working hours, Monday to Friday 0600 hrs to 1800 hrs.

Outside of working hours, cemetery gates are closed and padlocked.

For the code to access the cemetery:

• CWGC (Commonwealth War Graves Commission) Kenya Office on 00254 20260 4301

• Opening Hours are Monday to Friday 0830 hrs to 1230 hrs and 1330 hrs to 1630 hrs - the offices are closed at weekends.

History information

Voi became a hospital centre early in 1916. In the period August 1915 to December 1917, 100 burials were made in the cemetery and after the Armistice, a further 37 graves were brought in from Bura Military Cemetery (14 graves of the 2nd Loyal North Lancs, 29 September 1915), Maktau Military Cemetery (17 graves, largely 3 September 1915) and Tsavo Military Cemetery (six graves).

The origin of the cemetery can be traced back to the burial of a civilian engineer (Mr. O'Hara) in 1899, who was killed by one of the famous 'Man-eaters of Tsavo'. It now contains 137 Commonwealth burials of the First World War, one of which is unidentified. The Commission also has responsibility for six non-war burials in the cemetery.