The Nyeri War Cemetery is located at Kiganjo in Nyeri County, a town that is better known for its police training school.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), in its website, notes that the Nyeri War Cemetery “contains 368 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the Second World War.”
War casualties who succumbed at the British military hospital or at the one used by Italian Prisoners of War (POWs) were buried here.
At the site, one is welcomed by the sight of neat rows of headstones in different corners, but it takes a keen eye to notice they are arranged according to nationalities.
The well-kempt grass, perfectly trimmed fence and beautiful flowers are a sight to behold. One would be forgiven for mistaking it for a picnic site.
Indeed, many people visit the cemetery for outings almost every weekend, with the caretaker forced to collect biscuit packets and sweets wrappings when he comes back to work.
The cemetery contains 368 war burials with 349 East Africans, eight South Africans, six Britons, one Indian, one Frenchman and four unidentified people.
The cemetery also contains two non-world war burials. Beside each grave are colourful flowers such as bougainvillea, buttercup and pansy that help soften the view of its surrounding.
Each headstone is inscribed in English for the Christian soldiers and in Arabic (with English translations) for the Muslim soldiers, with the exception of 24-year-old Manohar Singh of the Indian army whose headstone is in Hindi script.
The writings describe the name, age, rank and regiment of the soldiers who fought in the East African campaign during the Second World War, which was considered the deadliest in the history of mankind lasting from 1939 to 1945.
The headstones of the African soldiers from the King’s African Rifles, the East African Army Corps, African Pioneer Corps, Northern Rhodesian Regiment are among those in the graveyard.
The British soldiers visit the place annually on November 11 to hold a memorial service.
They bring flowers that are laid at the cross of sacrifice in the middle of the graves, which is a collective feature in all Common wealth war graves worldwide.
Members of the public are not allowed into the cemetery during the ceremony. However, the gate is open to the public on normal days with no charges.
The cemetery also hosts many students who come to learn more about the history of the people who fought in the Second World War.
The location was suitable because the Kenya Police College Clinic was the closest at the time.
John Maina, the caretaker for the last 16 years, says the major challenge he faces is during the weekends when he is away.
He says that at times people jump over the fence and steal the equipment meant to water the farm.
“Thieves steal farming equipment mostly over the weekend, and we have reported this to the police on numerous occasions in vain,” he explained.
Littering is another challenge. Once, Maina says, he found a section around the cross had been dug up, suggesting that the people behind the act were looking for valuable items buried with the deceased.
“People think that around the cross is where the general was buried, which is not true, hence they dug up a hole to look for valuables all in vain,” Mr Maina explained.
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