Sai Wan Cremation Memorial
- Country China, (including Hong Kong)
- Total identified casualties 144 Find these casualties
- Identified casualties from Second World War
- GPS Coordinates Latitude: 22.2587, Longitude: 114.23411
Location information
The Sai Wan Cremation Memorial is located in Sai Wan War Cemetery on Cape Collinson Road, which is situated in the north-east of the island of Hong Kong, about 11 kilometres from the centre of Victoria, the capital of HongKong. 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
Hong Kong fell to Japanese forces on Christmas Day 1941 following a brief but intense period of fighting. Most of those buried or commemorated on the island were killed at this time, or died later as internees or prisoners of war during the Japanese occupation.
The SAI WAN MEMORIAL forms the entrance to Sai Wan War Cemetery and bears the names of more than 2,000 Commonwealth servicemen who died in the Battle of Hong Kong, or subsequently in captivity, who have no known grave. Additional panels to the memorial form the SAI WAN CREMATION MEMORIAL, listing 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.
SAI WAN WAR CEMETERY contains the graves of more than 1,500 Commonwealth servicemen who died during the Second World War, more than 400 of them unidentified. A small number of First World War casualties are also commemorated in the cemetery.
Both the cemetery and memorial were designed by Colin St Clair Oakes.