Knightsbridge War Cemetery is a

war cemetery A war grave is a burial place for members of the armed forces or civilians who died during military campaigns or operations. Definition The term "war grave" does not only apply to graves: ships sunk during wartime are often considered to b ...

located in

Acroma Acroma (also Akramah and Ikrimah) is a town in northeastern Libya in Butnan District, about 28 km west of Tobruk. On April 17, 1917, the Treaty of Acroma, was signed by the Italian government (as occupying, colonial power) and Mohammed Idr ...

Libya Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Suda ...

, located 750 metres south of the main road from

Benghazi Benghazi () , ; it, Bengasi; tr, Bingazi; ber, Bernîk, script=Latn; also: ''Bengasi'', ''Benghasi'', ''Banghāzī'', ''Binghāzī'', ''Bengazi''; grc, Βερενίκη ('' Berenice'') and ''Hesperides''., group=note (''lit. Son of he Ghaz ...

Tobruk Tobruk or Tobruck (; grc, Ἀντίπυργος, ''Antipyrgos''; la, Antipyrgus; it, Tobruch; ar, طبرق, Tubruq ''Ṭubruq''; also transliterated as ''Tobruch'' and ''Tubruk'') is a port city on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near ...

, west of

. The cemetery is situated in open country, the Cross of Sacrifice is set high above the level of the cemetery and is easily seen from the road. The cemetery is reached from a track branching off the main road. Knightsbridge was the name given to a static base or "box" established around a junction of tracks some 20 km west of Tobruk and 16 km south of Acroma. This box commanded all the supplies which went to the allied front lines, as well as the fuelling stations and airfields at Acroma, El Adem, El Duda, Sidi Rezegh and Gambut. Knightsbridge was therefore a key position and the heavy armoured battles which started in late May 1942 pivoted on this position, with fierce fighting throughout this area. A battlefield cemetery was created in all of these area to bury the Commonwealth troops killed in these actions. It is the resting place of 3,651

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

servicemen who were killed or died during the fighting in the area during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, 2,676 of whom have been identified. Many had been buried in temporary battlefield cemeteries or individual graves and their remains were relocated to Knightsbridge while those who lie without graves are commemorated at the

Alamein Memorial The Alamein Memorial is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission war memorial in the El Alamein War Cemetery, El Alamein, Egypt. The memorial commemorates 11,866 Commonwealth forces members who died during World War II. The memorial was designed by ...

. There are also 18 non-Commonwealth burials at Knightsbridge including one Polish soldier and one non-combatant.

Notable burials

John Beeley Rifleman John Beeley VC (8 February 1918 – 21 November 1941) was a British Army soldier and an English recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to ...

, Victoria Cross recipient *

Noel Agazarian Noël le Chevalier Agazarian (26 December 1916 – 16 May 1941) was a British World War II fighter ace with seven victories. He was the brother of Special Operations Executive agent Jack Agazarian, who was executed by the Germans in 1945, and ...

, flying ace * George Goodman, flying ace * George Salvidge, footballer * George Gardiner * Geoffrey Warren, cricketer

References

{{coord, 32, 05, 45, N, 23, 43, 12.5, E, type:landmark_region:LY, display=title World War II cemeteries in Libya Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemeteries in Libya

Notable burials

See also

References