Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Cairns War Cemetery contains 99 Commonwealth and 19 Dutch war graves of the Second World War.

Cairns was an important shipping port and air base during the last three years of the Second World War, 1942-45 and was the departure point for the final New Guniea and Borneo campaigns.  Its proximity to Papua and New Guinea and neighbouring islands made Carins an ideal headquarters for No 11 and No 20 Catalina reconnaissance bomber squadrons and as an embarkation port for Australia Forces.

Some of the servicmen buried at this site died in the General Military Hosptial from war-related wounds, accident or illness.

The Ciarns Cemetery contains 108 Second World War service burials, comprising 10 RAN and 1 Royal Netherlands Navy, 80 Australian Army and 17 RAAF.   All but 10 of these are grouped together in this special war plot.

There are also 8 Australian burials of the First World War.