Nairobi Memorial
- Country Kenya
- Total identified casualties 478 Find these casualties
- Identified casualties from Second World War
- GPS Coordinates Latitude: -1.31013, Longitude: 36.748
Location information
This memorial is situated in Nairobi War Cemetery.
Visiting information
ARRIVAL
The cemetery is approximately ten kilometres west of Nairobi city centre on Ngong Road, which is the main road to the Government Forest Reserve. Nairobi War Cemetery is next to Nairobi Racecourse and is included within the Ngong Forest Reserve. The cemetery can only be reached by a long driveway off Ngong Road. The route to the cemetery is signposted.
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
This memorial 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.
The Memorial takes the form of a tall pier around which stand four columns of light pinkish artificial stone, with bases and capitals of a darker colour on which the names are carved.
The tall pier bears the inscription:
1939 - 1945 THE SOLDIERS NAMED ON THESE FOUR COLUMNS LIE BURIED ELSEWHERE IN KENYA AND ARE HONOURED HERE AMONG THEIR COMRADES WHO DIED WITH THEM IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY.