Sai Wan War Cemetery

• Country China, (including Hong Kong)
• Total identified casualties 1138 Find these casualties
• Identified casualties from First & Second World War
• GPS Coordinates Latitude: 22.25849, Longitude: 114.23414

Location information

Sai Wan War Cemetery is in the north-east of the island of Hong Kong, in the Chai Wan area, about 11 kilometres from the centre of Victoria. At the entrance to the cemetery on Cape Collinson Road stands the memorial to those who died in Hong Kong and have no known grave. From it the cemetery slopes down towards the sea. The cemetery is located on Cape Collinson Road, Chai Wan, Hong Kong Island. Take bus route No. 9 to Shek O from Shau Kei Wan bus terminal, adjacent to exit A3 of mass transit railway Shau Kei Wan station and alight at Cape Collinson bus stop beyond the roundabout on Shek O Road. Walk downwards along Cape Collinson for approximately 600 metres. To travel to Sai Wan Cemetery from Stanley Military Cemetery take bus No. 14 to Grande Promenade outside the cemetery on Wong Ma Kok Road and alight at Shek O Road bus stop in front of the roundabout on the Tai Tam Road. Walk south into Shek O Road then turn left and walk downwards along Cape Collinson Road for approximately 600 metres. The Cape Collinson area has many cemeteries. Walking up this narrow one way traffic road, one will pass the Catholic Cemetery situated on the hillside to the left of the road, and the Hong Kong Military Cemetery on the right. Sai Wan War Cemetery is about half way up Cape Collinson Road and faces the Muslim and Buddhist cemeteries.

Visiting information

ARRIVAL

The cemetery is to the side of a busy main road.

The cemetery is long and narrow in shape and descends on terraces towards the sea away from the main entrance.

Next to a busy main road, overlooking hills, the slope of the cemetery is very steep. Throughout the rainy season the cemetery is exposed to wet weather, visitors should check the weather forecast before visiting the cemetery.

PARKING

Parking is available on the side of the main road to the front and left of the main entrance. There are spaces for up to six vehicles.

There are no other parking facilities at the cemetery. The main road is busy, and visitors should take care if they cross the main road.

ACCESS, MAIN ENTRANCE & LAYOUT

The main entrance to the cemetery has a large stone memorial entrance building. From the car park, stone steps lead down towards a double metal (approx 700mm wide x 2) gate that opens onto a wide semi-circular flagstone area. There is a metal drainage grille along the junction of the car park and the steps and a single step up to the gates at the bottom level of the entrance stairs.

There are two steps up to the memorial entrance building from the paved area in front of the memorial and steps down into the cemetery on the other side of the entrance building.

Stone benches are located inside the memorial entrance building facing into the cemetery.

The Register Box for the cemetery is inside the memorial entrance building.

On the top terrace of the cemetery is a Stone of Remembrance.

At the furthest (and lowest) point of the cemetery is the Cross of Sacrifice, behind which are special memorials.

There are multiple steps and platforms leading down through the cemetery.

ALTERNATIVE ACCESS

To the side of the memorial shelter is a path approximately 1.60 metres wide on one side is a green wire mesh fence. The surface of the path is concrete, firm, and level.

Once into the main cemetery, there is no route down to the Cross of Sacrifice other than by climbing down many steps on a steep slope.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

There may be snakes, wild boar, and stray dogs in the cemetery.

The cemetery is open 0800 hrs – 1700 hrs daily

History information

On the same morning as the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese Forces attacked the British Colony of Hong Kong. Following a brief but intense period of fighting the Hong Kong Garrison, which consisted of Indian, British and Canadian units was forced to surrender on Christmas Day 1941. Most of those buried in this cemetery were killed at this time, or died later as internees or prisoners of war during the Japanese occupation. The remains of those who died as prisoners in Formosa (now Taiwan), the Philippines and mainland China were also brought to Sai Wan for burial after the war.

There are now 1,492 Commonwealth casualties of the Second World War buried or commemorated at Sai Wan War Cemetery. 445 of the burials are unidentified. There are special memorials to 16 Second World War casualties buried in Kowloon (Ho Man Tin) No 3 Muslim Cemetery, whose graves were lost. There are also 77 war graves of other nationalities from this period, the majority of them Dutch and 7 non-world war graves that the Commission maintains on behalf of the MoD.

The cemetery contains special memorials to 12 First World War casualties buried in Kowloon (Ta Sek Ku) Muslim Cemetery, whose graves have since been lost.

At the entrance to the cemetery stands the SAI WAN MEMORIAL bearing the names of more than 2,000 Commonwealth servicemen who died in the Battle of Hong Kong or subsequently in captivity and who have no known grave. Additional panels to the memorial form the SAI WAN CREMATION MEMORIAL, bearing the names of 144 Second World War casualties whose remains were cremated in accordance with their faith, and the SAI WAN (CHINA) MEMORIAL, commemorating 72 casualties of both wars whose graves in mainland China could not be maintained.

Both the cemetery and memorial were designed by Colin St Clair Oakes.