A video record of the CWGC Cemeteries and Memorials in Iraq
More than 50,000 soldiers from the UK and Commonwealth nations lost their lives in Iraq in both World Wars. Most were casualties of the Mesopotamian Campaign in the Great War.
Ben Soppitt's grandfather, Gunner Joseph Soppitt, is among those buried at Basra War Cemetery. He died in 1941 of dysentery when British forces briefly fought there during World War Two.
In 2025 Ben visited the numerous CWGC cemeteries and memorials in Iraq and made a series of short videos in each location.
The Kut War Cemetery
The siege of Kut began in December 1915 with efforts being made to relieve it, which resulted in a large loss of life. Relief attempts included that by a steamer on April 24th of 1916. In this action, two posthumous Victoria Crosses were awarded to Lieutenant Commander Charles Cowley and Lieutenant Humphey Firman.
Baghdad (North Gate) Cemetery
Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery is located in the Al-Russafa district of Baghdad. The entrance to the cemetery is located opposite the College of Arts and the Institute of Administration in Baghdad University.
In 1914, Baghdad was the headquarters of the Turkish Army in Mesopotamia. and was the objective of Indian Expeditionary Force 'D' - the troops that fell back on Kut had approached the city during the early advances of 1915-16.
Baghdad was taken in March 1917 and eventually saw the construction of two stationary hospitals and three casualty clearing stations.
Basra Memorial to the Missing
The Basra Memorial lists more Great War fatalities than any other CWGC memorial outside France and Belgium and commemorates nearly 6,000 more soldiers than are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial. In terms of men remembered, it stands only behind the Thiepval and the Menin Gate memorials. The total numbers listed on the Thiepval, Menin Gate and Basra memorials are as follows.
- Thiepval Memorial: 72,173 casualties
- Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial: 54,357 casualties
- Basra Memorial: 40,605 casualties
Basra War Cemetery
During the First World War, Basra was occupied by the Indian 6th (Poona) Division in November 1914. The town became the base of the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force. The cemetery contains 2,560 burials of the First World War and 364 from the Second World War.
Basra Indian Forces Cemetery
Directly opposite Basra War Cemetery is the Basra Indian Forces Cemetery containing burials of both wars, and the Basra Cremation Memorial commemorating Indian casualties of the Second World War who died in Iraq and Iran whose remains were cremated in accordance with their faith.
Amara War Cemetery
The cemetery contains 4,621 burials from the First World War, of which more than 3,000 were interred after the end of the war. Only 3,696 of the dead have been identified.
In 1933, the grave headstones were removed after it was found that they were being damaged by salts in the soil and a memorial wall erected instead with the names of the dead engraved upon plaques.
Alwiya Indian Forces Cemetery
Alwiya Indian War Cemetery was begun some months after the capture of Baghdad in 1917 and used for both Indian and British burials, the British graves were moved to the Baghdad (North Gate) Cemetery after the Armistice.
Khanaqin War Cemetery
Khanaqin War Cemetery (or Khanaqin Polish War Cemetery) in Diyala was established in 1942 for over 500 Commonwealth and Polish servicemen who died of illness or accident while serving with PAIFORCE. Due to maintenance difficulties, a memorial to these soldiers was moved to Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery in 1965.
Mosul War Cemetery
Mosul was the headquarters of the Turkish Sixth Army during the Great War. The town was entered by Commonwealth forces on 3 November 1918 under the terms of the Armistice with Turkey and became a hospital centre.
Mosul War Cemetery contains 191 burials from the First World War, and 145 from the Second World War.
Ma'Asker Al Rashid R.A.F. Cemetery
The cemetery was created alongside Hinaidi RAF base and was initially known as Hinaidi RAF Peace Cemetery. It was renamed Ma'asker Al Raschid RAF Cemetery in 1961.
Habbaniya War Cemetery
Habbaniya was an inter-war RAF station, maintained under the Anglo-Iraqi treaty of 1930 which permitted a British base west of the Euphrates. It was the permanent Headquarters of the R.A.F. in Iraq.
Habbaniya War Cemetery was used before the Second World War and also during the War not only for R.A.F. casualties, but for the burial of soldiers killed during the 1941 operations, and for all servicemen who died through illness or accident while serving in PAIFORCE.
Remembrance Event
On 9 November 2025 the first Remembrance Day service was held at Basra Cemetery for over 35 years.
The event was attended by the Archbishop of Basra His Excellency Habib Al-Naufali and Sheikh Radhi Hamad in addition to Father Aram Bano who said a blessing for the dead and for peace.
Words were also said from Bhagavad Gita and Guru Granth Sahib to recognise Hindu and Sikh faiths.
The event was attended by members of the local community including the local soccer teams who practice at the site (and who also helped manage the event) and recognised the dead of conflicts in Iraq since 1914 from all nations and faiths and the suffering of civilians.
Flags of India, Pakistan, Iraq, Turkey the UK were hung and poppy wreaths placed with a 2 minutes silence observed and the Last Post played.
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