Khanaqin War Cemetery
Khanaqin, on the Diyala River near the Persian (Iran) frontier, became a key wartime camp and transit hub in 1942 when the Polish Anders' Army arrived from the Soviet Union via Persia. The cemetery reflects this Polish presence, alongside British/Indian garrison burials and several graves connected to the Arab Legion during the 1941 Anglo-Iraqi War.
Quick Information
Khanaqin, near the Iran-Iraq border
Commemorated
542 commemorated
WWI: 102 • WWII: 440
WW1 102 Indian burials. WW2 3 Arab Legion and 437 Polish Army
Status
Last Updated
25 October 2025
Historical Context
**Anglo-Iraqi War (May 1941):** British and Indian troops secured Iraq; the Arab Legion (Transjordan's regular force) supported operations and later frontier policing, leading to Legion burials in Iraqi cemeteries, including Khanaqin.
**Persian Corridor (1941–45):** After securing Iraq and Iran, the Allies developed a vast supply route to the USSR. Khanaqin lay on a key axis—its camps, depots, and hospitals produced a steady stream of non-battle casualties.
**Anders' Army in Iraq/Persia (1942–43):** Released from Soviet custody after the 1941 amnesty, the Polish II Corps (Anders) and many civilians were evacuated to Persia, then moved through camps at Khanaqin, Quizil Ribat, and elsewhere. Many arrivals were debilitated; deaths from typhus, dysentery, tuberculosis, malnutrition, and camp diseases were common in 1942.
Significance
The cemetery's diverse nationalities reflect the unique convergence of forces at this remote location in WW2: **Polish Anders' Army:** Formed from former prisoners and deportees in the USSR, they were released, regrouped, and evacuated south via the Caspian to Iran, then onward into Iraq for rest, re-equipping, and staging. Khanaqin hosted large Polish camps, hospitals, and schools. Many Polish civilians (including children) travelled with the army; some succumbed to disease and hardship and are believed to be buried here alongside soldiers. Dates clustered in mid-1942 to mid-1943. **Arab Legion:** The 3 Arab Legion casualties come from what was Transjordan's regular army, commanded for much of the period by John Bagot "Glubb Pasha". In 1941, Legion detachments supported British operations during and after the Anglo-Iraqi War—convoy escort, airfield security, railway and pipeline protection, desert patrols, and frontier stabilization. Legion casualties connected to these duties were mainly from non-combat causes (accidents, disease, occasional skirmishes).
Current Condition
The CWGC abandoned the site in 1965 and erected a memorial in Northgate. The site along with the former town next to it was heavily damaged during the Iran-Iraq war. The grave stones are gone and the sub-bases and lines are visible in places. The memorial in the center of the cemetery stands with a fence around it although it has a gap. The inserts in the memorial are gone. Fragments of Polish graves can be seen in the local Museum with historical pictures of the camp. A relief of a Polish eagle made by soldiers stationed there can be seen on a rock face by the old camp - a few km away from the cemetery.
How They Came Here
WWI Operations:
Casualties from British operations in Persia to secure oil fields and counter Turkish-German influence.
Anglo-Iraqi War (1941):
Arab Legion casualties from convoy escort, airfield security, and frontier duties supporting British operations.
Persian Corridor (1941-45):
Non-battle casualties from the vast Allied supply route to the USSR through camps, depots, and hospitals at Khanaqin.
Polish Anders' Army (1942-43):
Polish soldiers and civilians who perished from disease and hardship after evacuation from Soviet Union. Deaths from typhus, dysentery, tuberculosis, malnutrition clustered in 1942. Polish headstones often carry the crowned eagle emblem and note service branches.
Commonwealth Medical Staff:
RAMC/IAMC personnel who died while supporting Persian Corridor medical lines.
Visual Documentation
Still Photography
Graves
Video Photography
Basra Walk Through
Video documentation of cemetery sections and features
360° Panoramic Views
Khanaqin 360° View 1
Drag to look around • Scroll to zoom • Click fullscreen for immersive view
Related Articles & Content
The Polish Cemetery in Khanaqin: A Forgotten Memorial
VisitThis article recounts the story of the Polish cemetery in Khanaqin, Iraq, which dates back to World War II and contains around 438 Polish graves along with some Indian and Arab burials. It explains how Polish soldiers and civilians—many who died of disease—were laid to rest there during wartime in 1942, under British control of the region. The article laments the cemetery's deterioration and damage, attributing it to neglect, instability, and attacks by extremist groups since 2003. It notes that although efforts by Iraqi authorities and Polish archaeologists to restore the site have been made, they have so far failed to fully preserve or renovate the graves. Finally, it discusses the deeper integration of the Polish community in Khanaqin's social fabric and the urgency of protecting this historical memorial.
Source: KirkukNow