Nairobi War Cemetery
- Country Kenya
- Total identified casualties 1942 Find these casualties
- Identified casualties from Second World War
- GPS Coordinates Latitude: -1.30902, Longitude: 36.74788
Please note
We recommend not approaching or feeding the wild monkeys in the Cemetery.
Cemetery Spotlight: Nairobi War Cemetery
Unknown to many, the Nairobi War cemetery is an ‘island of habitat’ with plenty of biodiversity. Different species of monkeys including baboons will be seen in the cemetery every day. Dik-diks will be often spotted in the cemetery eating flowers. Warthogs also visit the cemetery regularly. Chameleons and snakes are also common in the cemetery. Almost 40 different bird ‘resident’ and ‘migrant’ species will be found in the cemetery.
Day-to-day maintenance of the Nairobi War Cemetery involves various activities to keep horticultural features and stonework to CWGC standards. These include turf mowing, border weeding, border plant pruning, sweeping of tree leaves and other litter, border edging, hedge trimming and irrigation during dry seasons. Headstones and other structural features are cleaned as necessary.
Turf is mowed using ride-on and pedestrian mowers. Borders are irrigated, leaves swept by hand, and border edges are cut using an edger.
Climate change has brought with it challenges such as unpredictable rainfall patterns, reduced rains, prolonged droughts and occasional flooding. This means we must adopt innovative ways of keeping the horticultural features looking good, well cared for and to CWGC standards. We have had to replace some border plants with more drought-tolerant varieties as well as mulch borders to help in water retention.
Wildlife such as monkeys, dik-diks and warthogs damage our border plants and trees. We have changed some plants to varieties that are not attractive to monkeys and installed an anti-warthog fence around the cemetery.
Unpredictable winds break tree branches posing hazards to staff and visitors. We have intensified our tree risk assessments to ensure that any risky tree branches are removed as quickly as possible.
Vandalism of cemetery features by scrap metal dealers is a real problem in this site and many other sites across the country. We have installed security to deter such vandalism incidents.
Nairobi War cemetery is considered, by visitors and community members around, to be one of the most beautiful spaces in Nairobi.
Our approach to cemetery maintenance is rooted in a commitment to soil health and efficient water management.
Regular soil testing every three years provides vital information on pH, nutrient levels and contaminants, enabling us to apply timely amendments for optimal plant growth. To counteract changing rainfall patterns and reduced irrigation, we incorporate compost and mulch to improve soil structure and water retention, utilising green waste composting silos found at most of our sites.
In terms of plant selection, we prioritise native and drought-tolerant species for borders, shrubberies and tree lots, having already revised several turf species and border planting schemes to reduce the need for constant watering.
Our gardeners are extensively trained in efficient irrigation techniques ensuring that water is used judiciously, only when necessary, and further supported by water conservation measures such as organic ground covers in headstone borders.
Our environmental sustainability practices extend to a broad range of eco-friendly initiatives that protect local ecosystems and promote biodiversity. We are progressively switching to locally adopted plants for turf, border plantings, shrubberies and trees, which minimises water consumption and reduces reliance on chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
Increased tree cover is another key focus, with more trees planted in locations like Jinja, Uganda, and plans underway to boost canopy cover in additional cemeteries – thereby enhancing local biodiversity, providing shade and improving air quality.
Additionally, we have significantly reduced chemical use, opting instead for organic soil management and natural pest control methods.
Green waste from routine maintenance is recycled through 12 composting silos across East Africa, while energy-efficient equipment and sustainable building practices – such as installing energy-saving light bulbs – further decrease our overall carbon footprint.
Finally, by engaging local communities and educating them on the importance of preserving these historic sites, we bolster both environmental and social sustainability in our maintenance efforts.
Location information
The War Cemetery is on the south-western outskirts of Nairobi, about 10 kilometres west of the city centre on Ngong Road, which is the main road to the Government Forest Reserve. The cemetery is adjacent to Nairobi race course and is included within the Ngong Forest Reserve. It is reached by way of a long driveway off Ngong Road, the turning being indicated by a CWGC direction sign.
Visiting information
PARKING
There is a car park at the cemetery with space for up to eight vehicles. The surface of the car park is firm and level.
ACCESS LAYOUT AND MAIN ENTRANCE
At the main entrance to the cemetery there are stone steps leading onto a firm and level path. Access is through metal gates, with an approximate clear opening of 1500 mm for each section. All the internal paths within the cemetery are firm and grass. There are also several level stone pathways within the site.
The cemetery has a Cross of Sacrifice, Stone of Remembrance and two memorials; the East African and Nairobi Memorial. At the main entrance to the cemetery is a shelter building. Inside are visitor benches and a Register Box.
The Stone of Remembrance is located on a raised platform accessible from cemetery level by stone steps from all four sides of the platform.
Around the cemetery are several stone and wooden benches for visitor seating.
ALTERNATIVE ACCESS
There is an alternative access point to the left-hand side of the main entrance of the cemetery. The alternative access point is marked with a signpost and provides step free access onto a firm, level threshold which opens into the cemetery.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Nairobi War Cemetery is open every day between the following hours:
0600 hrs – 1800 hrs
Please note, there have been reported attacks in the vicinity of the cemetery. All visitors are strongly advised to take care and not carry any valuables when visiting the site. Visitors are advised not to walk the one-kilometre track to the cemetery from the main road but should travel to the cemetery entrance by vehicle only.
WILD MONKEYS
There are wild monkeys who live in and around the cemetery. We strongly advise that visitors do not approach or feed the wild monkeys in the cemetery.
History information
During the Second World War, Nairobi was the headquarters of the East African Force and the base for the conquest of, what was then known as Jubaland and Italian Somaliland, the liberation of British Somaliland and the sweep north-westwards to open Addis Ababa for the return of the Emperor. It was also a hospital centre; No.87 British General Hospital arrived in June 1943 and was still there in December 1945, while No.150 British General Hospital was there for a period in 1943.
The war cemetery was opened in 1941 by the military authorities. Besides the original burials, numerous graves were transferred to this cemetery from African civil cemeteries and temporary army burial grounds at Garissa, Gelib, Kinangop, Marsabit, Mega and other locations which at the time were inaccessible, so that it is now the largest war cemetery in East Africa.
NAIROBI WAR CEMETERY now contains 1,952 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 11 of which are unidentified. There are also 76 non-war burials and one French grave. It was designed by G. Vey.
Within the cemetery is the EAST AFRICA MEMORIAL, which commemorates men of the land forces who lost their lives in the advance from the south into Italian Somaliland and Ethiopia and during the occupation of those territories, and who have no known grave. Along with them are honoured those who died during the operations in Madagascar in 1942 and who have no known grave. Besides those who died in these campaigns, many men who were lost in the sinking of the troopship 'Khedive Ismail' en route to Ceylon on 12 February 1944 are commemorated here; they include a great part of the 301st Field Regiment, East African Artillery.
The cemetery also contains the NAIROBI MEMORIAL which commemorates 477 men of the United Kingdom, South African, and East African Forces who died in the non-operational zones of Kenya whilst in training, or on lines of communication or garrison duty, and whose graves could not be located or are so situated as to be unmaintainable.