Alwiya Indian War Cemetery (Baghdad)
Alwiya (Alwiyah) Indian War Cemetery served as the principal Indian Forces burial ground in Baghdad during the First World War and the immediate aftermath. It reflects the scale of Indian Army participation and the distinct religious commemoration practices (cremation panels for Hindu and Sikh soldiers).
Quick Information
Alwiya district, Baghdad
Commemorated
208 commemorated
WWI: 208 • WWII: 0
Dedicated to Indian forces in Baghdad
Status
Last Updated
25 October 2025
Historical Context
**The Tigris Campaign:** The battles of Ctesiphon, the retreat, the Kut siege and relief attempts pushed casualties downstream to Baghdad hospitals once the city fell in 1917. Subsequent operations toward Samarra–Tikrit–Mosul added wounded and sick to Baghdad's medical burden.
**Indian Army Participation:** The cemetery commemorates Indian battalions of the 6th (Poona) Division, 15th Indian Division, 18th Indian Division, and supporting services (Sappers & Miners, IAMC, Supply & Transport). Senior Indian officers and medical staff occasionally appear with individually marked graves; many names appear on cremation panels.
**Interwar Period:** Burials reflect garrison service, disease, and accidents in the capital during the British mandate period.
Significance
As the principal Indian Forces burial ground in Baghdad, this cemetery reflects the enormous contribution of Indian troops to the Mesopotamian Campaign. The presence of both traditional graves and cremation memorial panels demonstrates the CWGC's efforts to honor the distinct religious practices of Hindu and Sikh soldiers, though many Indian other ranks remain unnamed due to inequalities in the way non-European casualties were registered and treated.
Current Condition
The site is easily accessible with an unlocked gate. Two memorials are all that remain and the site overgrown, with rubble and trash scattered around. There is evidence of heavy machinery having been present with tracks in the dried mud, possible used as a parking spot for bulldozers from nearby building sites.
How They Came Here
1917: Capture of Baghdad:
After the British capture of Baghdad on 11 March 1917, the city became the base for the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force. Indian casualties from the advance and subsequent operations were brought to Baghdad hospitals.
1917-18: Northern Operations:
Casualties from continued operations north toward Samarra, Tikrit, and Mosul were evacuated to Baghdad hospitals where many died of wounds or disease.
Interwar Period:
The cemetery received burials from the permanent Indian garrison. Deaths reflect disease, accidents, and the unstable political climate of the 1920 Iraqi revolt and its aftermath.
Religious Commemoration:
Hindu and Sikh soldiers who were cremated according to their religious customs are commemorated by name on memorial panels rather than individual headstones.
Visual Documentation
Still Photography
Video Photography
Basra Walk Through
Video documentation of cemetery sections and features
360° Panoramic Views
Alwiya 360° View 1
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Alwiya 360° View 2
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Alwiya 360° View 3
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