British Era Cemeteries in the Khyber Pass

Dr. Ali Jan

Publishing Date: Sunday, August 27 2006

Note: Text & Photos by the author. Click on icons to view full size images

The legendary Khyber Pass in the North West Frontier of Pakistan is the most famous passageway in the Himalayas. No other pass in the world has possessed such strategic importance or retains so many historic associations and romance as this gateway. It is the fabled ancient route that led into Afghanistan from the British India of yore and it was in this rugged terrain of slate and rock that the actual strategies of the 'Great Game' of Imperial conquest were played out and where several battles of the Anglo-Afghan Wars of 1839-42, 1879-80 and 1919 were fought. Numerous military badges and insignias carved on rocks alongside the road are a reminder of the various British regiments that passed through here. The pass is 33 miles long and lies in the Tribal Territory mainly inhabited by the Afridi tribes. The plains of Peshawar in Pakistan stretch from its eastern mouth, and those of Jalalabad in Afghanistan from the western. The pass itself begins at Jamrud where a symbolic gateway (Bab-e-Khyber, constructed in 1963) stands on the main road about ten miles north west of Peshawar and twists through the hills for about 33 miles and ends near Dakka. The most important points en route are: Ali Masjid ten miles from Jamrud, Landi Kotal, the summit of the pass ten miles further, and Torkham at which point the pass enters Afghan territory.

There are three old British cemeteries in Khyber Pass:

Jamrud Cemetery: Near the Jamrud Fort. About 11 miles from Peshawar.
Ali Masjid Cemetery: Near the Ali Masjid Fort.
Landi Kotal Cemetery: Near the Khyber Rifles Mess at Landi Kotal cantonment.

Landi Kotal Cemetery

Accessible by road (or railway, 'Khyber Steam Safari') from Peshawar, it is the largest of the three cemeteries in the Khyber Pass. The graveyard's main gate is usually kept locked. A Christian family which looks after a small chapel behind the Khyber Rifles' Mess has the spare key. Some of their family members work in the Photography Section of the Khyber Rifles' Mess nearby and they are quite helpful and can be contacted at the Mess if one wants to visit the cemetery.

The Landi Kotal Cemetery is about the size of a soccer field. Its burials are mainly from 1879-80 (Second Afghan War) and 1898 and 1919 (Third Afghan War). Many regiments and battalions are represented here. Two stone obelisks stand in the middle each bearing a plaque. The inscription on one is almost faded and the other records: "Sacred to the memory of the British soldiers of all ranks who lie buried near this spot 187 of whom died at Landi Kotal from the result of wounds received in action and from disease during the Afghan Campaign of 1879-80 and the remainder since the reoccupation of the Khyber in 1898"

The older graves lying towards the far end are unfortunately not very well preserved generally and sometimes it is not even possible to tell who is buried underneath. Many headstones have disappeared altogether. However, the relatively newer graves dating from 1898 onwards which are closer to the entrance are all in a better state.

Interviews with the Christian family that looks after the Landi Kotal cemetery revealed that there has been no funding from any quarter for its upkeep in the last two or three decades and therefore the cemetery has gone into gradual decline. It is a real pity considering this is one of the most important cemeteries in the North West Frontier from both historical and tourism point of views and is invaluable for family history research as well. The Khyber Pass cemeteries must be included in the threatened monuments and the heritage lists. Besides local initiatives by citizens, the British and Pakistan governments and their agencies need to play a more proactive role in their upkeep. Moreover, the involvement of national and international NGOs in their conservation is also necessary to seek a broader base of support. It is essential to preserve all such surviving Victorian cemeteries in the region before it is too late, because in another few years these irreplaceable landmarks might be lost forever due to neglect.

Notes:

All surviving headstones in the Landi Kotal Cemetery have been photographed by Dr Ali Jan of the Sarhad Conservation Network