Cemetery: DURBAN (HILLARY) CEMETERY

Country: South Africa

Locality: Kwazulu Natal

Visiting Information: The military section is open at all times. There is no office but as the graves are concentrated there is no problem in locating them.

Location Information: This municipal cemetery is situated in the suburb of Hillary. Follow Sarnia Road from Durban up to the interesection with Stella Road, then left and travel 1.5 kilometres. The military section of the cemetery is on the right of the road, just beyond the civilian cemetery.

Historical Information: During the Second World War, Durban was the embarkation and disembarkation port, first for the East African and Abyssinian campaigns and later for those in the Middle East and Italy. A large military hospital operated at Springfield and hospital ships plied between the port and the theatres of war in the north. Operational flights in protection of incoming and outgoing convoys and general anti-submarine patrols were conducted from the airfield to the south of Durban City. Durban (Hillary) Cemetery contains 122 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War and 16 French war graves. In another section of the cemetery, an Italian Plot contains the few individual graves of Italian servicemen and a large communal grave in which are buried Italians who drowned when, as prisoners of war, they were being transported from Egypt to Durban in the "Nova Scotia" when she was torpedoed off the Natal Coast.

No. of Identified Casualties: 138

According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, there is the potential for attacks in the vicinity of the cemetery. All visitors are strongly advised to take care and not carry valuables or leave them on display in vehicles.

The gates are kept locked, please contact Leon Reddy telephone 083 998 6041.