Defence Adviser Lt Col Simon Westlake RM has presented equipment to assist with the maintenance of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery in Accra…
The Cemetery contains 416 Commonwealth war burials, and 3 foreign national war burials and 18 non-war burials, whilst the Christiansborg Memorial, which provides the entry to the Cemetery, commemorates over 450 Second World War servicemen who enlisted in the Gold Coast, died in West African territory, and whose graves are unknown or cannot be maintained.
Commonly known as the Cristiansborg War Cemetery and established in 1941, the site is now maintained to an excellent standard by Ghana’s Department for Parks and Gardens, on behalf of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
It has been described by the Commission as a ‘wonderful example…that has benefitted from a consistently higher standard of horticultural care than its contemporaries’ and as ‘perhaps the most visited site in West Africa’.
Indeed, in recent years Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, Princess Royal and Earl of Wessex have all participated in ceremonies at the Cemetery to commemorate Commonwealth, and particularly Ghanaian, sacrifices.
Lt Col Simon Westlake stated: “As demonstrated each year on 11th November, the United Kingdom has a great appreciation for the part played by our Commonwealth partners in both World Wars, and in conflicts since.
“As a mark of that appreciation, just this year some GHc 350,000 has been provided for Ghana’s pre-independence veterans, whilst the United Kingdom has also launched a project worth £11.8 Million to protect 7000 Commonwealth veterans of the British Armed Forces from extreme poverty.”
