The war dead of the commonwealth
In Maldives ….. 1939 -1945

The memorial on Addu Atoll .Maldives Island
Beautifully situated in front of bank of Maldives in Gan island Addu, war memorial about 1 ½ km from Gan international air port, witch attracts many sightseers, it in ½ km east of equator village (resort hotel) gan. Witch it is easily reached by road.

ADDU ATOLL is one of the most southerly of the Maldives Islands, a group of coral atolls in the Indian ocean 644 kilometers south-west of Ceylon. After the loss of Singapore additional bases in the Indian Ocean were necessary, and early in 1942 a naval base was rapidly and secretly built on Addu Atoll, and was already usable in April of the year, when the first Japanese naval raid into the Indian Ocean occurred. A Royal Air Force station also was soon established, and the island was garrisoned by units of the Indian army. India also provided the labors units for work on the airfield and defenses. Climate and other condition at first caused a very high sick rate among these men, and the remains of those who succumbed were either buried on the island of cremated.

The names of 70 men of India, who died during the years 1942 to 1944, are commemorated on a memorial witch stands on a small lawn immediately in front of the Royal Air Force head quarter at Gan. It is in the form of a rectangular stone pillar bearing on three of its faces marble panels upon witch the names are carved. On the fourth face a panel of the same marble bears an explanatory inscription in English, Hindi and Urdu. This reads:-


1939 - 1945

THOSE COMMEMORATED HERE DIED IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY

THE MORTAL REMAINS OF SOME WERE COMMITED TO FIRE AND OTHERS LIE

BURIED ELSEWHERE ON ADDU ATOLL