Baghdad Northgate Cemetery, West Side Walkthrough
Baghdad Northgate Cemetery • 23 April 2026 • 4 min 54 sec
Full walkthrough film of Baghdad Northgate Cemetery, Iraq, recorded on site during the Commonwealth war graves field survey. The footage records the condition of the headstones, memorial panels, grounds and boundary walls.
The film was recorded at Baghdad Northgate Cemetery as part of the independent field survey of Commonwealth war graves in Iraq. It is published here as a permanent visual record of the site for families, researchers and journalists who cannot travel to Iraq.
Full transcript of Baghdad Northgate Cemetery, West Side Walkthrough
This film was recorded on site without spoken narration. The transcript below is a descriptive, timecoded account of what the camera records in each section of the film, compiled from the field survey notes for this site.
- 00:00
Entrance and first view of the site. The film opens at Baghdad Northgate Cemetery, North of Baghdad, near the North Gate (Bab Al-Mu'adham) of the old city. Approximately 5 km from the city centre. Baghdad Northgate cemetery is located in the centre of Baghdad, near the bank of the Tigris river and only about 20 minutes drive from the British Embassy.
- 00:59
Walk along the burial rows. The camera moves through the site, past the grave rows that hold 7,853 recorded burials, 7,016 from the First World War and 964 from the Second World War. WWI: After the capture of Baghdad (11 March 1917), the city became the base for the Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force.
- 01:58
Close views of headstones and inscriptions. Closer views follow of individual headstones, panel faces and inscriptions, recording how legible the names and regimental badges still are.
- 02:56
Grounds, paths, planting and boundary walls. The camera records the paths, planting, boundary walls and general upkeep of the grounds. Recorded condition at the time of the survey: Derelict.
- 03:55
Closing wide view before the film ends. The film closes on a wide view of the site. The footage is held as a permanent visual record of Baghdad Northgate Cemetery.