Trincomalee War Cemetery
Eastern Province
About Trincomalee War Cemetery
The Trincomalee War Cemetery, on the Nilaveli road just past Uppuveli's guesthouses, holds the Second World War's Indian Ocean chapter in 360 immaculate graves: sailors and airmen of many nations - British, Sri Lankan, Indian, East African, Dutch, and more - most of them casualties of April 1942, when Admiral Nagumo's carriers struck Ceylon and sent HMS Hermes, the world's first purpose-built aircraft carrier, to the bottom off Batticaloa with the loss of over three hundred souls. Maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission through a devoted local caretaker family (ask for the register; their knowledge of individual stories is the visit's soul), the cemetery's frangipani, clipped lawns, and identical white headstones facing the morning sun make it the east coast's most affecting twenty minutes. Divers exploring the Hermes wreck surface here, in the best sense, to close the story.
Top Activities
- ✓The graves and register
- ✓The 1942 Indian Ocean raid story
- ✓The caretaker's guided walk
- ✓Combine with Uppuveli and Nilaveli
- ✓HMS Hermes connections for divers
Nearby Attractions
Travel Tips
Sign the visitors' book and leave a donation for upkeep.
The caretaker's stories transform the rows into people - ask.
Visit before your Nilaveli beach day; it recalibrates the coast.
Quick Info
Best Time
April to September; mornings
Weather
Hot; the lawns are kindest in the early morning.
Estimated Daily Budget
8.6058°N, 81.2136°E
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