War Cemetery in Bourail

The Cross of Sacrifice

During the Second World War, the 3rd New Zealand Division was stationed in Bourail, on the West Coast of New Caledonia. Although there was no fighting in New Caledonia, it was used as a training ground, and as a base for operations in other parts of the Pacific. The cemetery was established in 1943, and belongs to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage manages the cemetery on behalf of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and the New Zealand Consulate-General in New Caledonia supervises its maintenance.

The cemetery contains 246 Commonwealth graves of men who died in the South Pacific, including those of 235 New Zealand servicemen. Four of the graves are unidentified. There is also a memorial to commemorate the 451 servicemen (254 New Zealanders and 169 Western Pacific Local Forces) for whom there is no known grave.

You are welcome to visit the cemetery. It is open throughout the year, and the New Zealand Consulate-General organises an ANZAC ceremony each year in April. (Please contact the New Zealand Consulate-General for this year’s dates).

The cemetery is located at Boghen on the main road north on the west coast of New Caledonia approximately 8 kilometres south-east of the town of Bourail. If you are driving north, it is on the right hand side of the road on top of the hill after the Arab cemetery (Cimetière des Arabes) at Nessadiou.

For further information regarding the cemetery or memorial, you can visit these websites:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The Ministry of Culture and Heritage