Heliopolis War Cemetery

• Country Egypt
• Total identified casualties 1789 Find these casualties
• Identified casualties from Second World War
• GPS Coordinates Latitude: 30.07973, Longitude: 31.32963

Location information

Heliopolis, a major suburb of Cairo, lies 10 kilometres to the north-east of the main city centre, approximately 6 kilometres from the airport. Heliopolis War Cemetery is situated opposite College of Girls, Ain Shams University, on Nabil el Wakkard Street, and access to the cemetery is from this street.

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 and access into the cemetery from the car park is approximately three metres.

ACCESS, LAYOUT & MAIN ENTRANCE

At the main entrance to the cemetery a single step leads to a double gate, approximately 2 metres wide, covered by a shaded pergola, where the Register Box is located. There are three stone steps which lead up to the Stone of Remembrance, surrounded by a level paved area. There are three steps down from the paved area into the cemetery from several locations. All the paths inside the cemetery are firm and level, all paths inside the cemetery are grass.

The centre of the cemetery is marked with the Cross of Sacrifice. To the left and right of the Cross are stone seat features incorporated into the hedges. On the opposite side of the cemetery is a shelter and a second seating area.

The relocated Aden Memorial are at the furthest point from the entrance (back of the cemetery). At the main entrance on the left and right of the pergolas are the relocated Port Tewfik Memorial name panels inside the entrance building.

ALTERNATIVE ACCESS

There is a service entrance from the main car park leading to a step free access point. It is possible for visitors who require step free access to use this entrance.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Heliopolis War Cemetery is closed and locked outside gardeners working hours.

Opening Hours for the cemetery are as follows:

Saturday to Thursday - 0700 hrs to 1430 hrs

Friday - Closed

History information

General Headquarters, Middle East Command was set up in Cairo shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War, remaining there throughout the war years. In January 1941, a Royal Air Force Sector Headquarters for Fighter Defence Canal Zone was established. Cairo was also a significant hospital centre during the Second World War, as well as a leave centre with many social clubs and hostels.

The cemetery at Heliopolis was opened in October 1941 for burials from the many hospitals in the area coping with the wounded and sick, mainly from the Western Desert campaigns. After the war, 125 graves were moved into the cemetery from Mena Camp Military Cemetery where permanent maintenance was not possible.

There are now 1,742 Commonwealth casualties of the Second World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery, and the 83 war graves of other nationalities reflect the diverse make up of the Middle East Command.

The cemetery was designed by Mr. J. Hubert Worthington.

The pavilions at the entrance to the cemetery house the HELIOPOLIS (PORT TEWFIK) MEMORIAL to almost 4,000 men who served and died with the Indian Army during the First World War in Egypt and Palestine, and who have no known grave. The original memorial at Port Tewfik was destroyed during the Israeli-Egyptian fighting of the 1970s.

The pavilion at the rear of the cemetery houses the HELIOPOLIS (ADEN) MEMORIAL to more than 600 men of the Commonwealth forces who died in the defence of Aden during the First World War and who have no known grave. The original memorial in Aden was destroyed in 1967.