South Africa War Graves Project

Cemetery	SA War Dead #	SA serving in Non-SA units War Dead #	Rhodesia War Dead #	Total	Status - Complete, Underway, Part Done	Volunteer
Tehran War Cemetery	.	1	1	2	Complete	Gail Rothlin & Francis Hay

Tehran War Cemetery is situated within the British Embassy residential compound at Gulhek which is approximately 13 kilometres from Tehran, and is enclosed by high walls. Within the cemetery is the Tehran Memorial commemorating casualties from both World Wars. The Memorial is in the form of six free standing memorial walls and commemorates casualties of the Indian, United Kingdom and New Zealand Forces who lost their lives during the campaign in Iran (formerly known as Persia) and who have no known grave. It also commemorates some of those who died in the neighbouring regions of Russia whose graves are unknown or unmaintainable. The War Cemetery was built in 1962. There are now 412 Commonwealth burials of the 1914-1918 war, 13 of which are unidentified, commemorated in this site. There are 152 Commonwealth burials of the 1939-1945 war commemorated here. In addition there are also 14 non world war burials and 25 Foreign National burials. All the 1914-1918 burials in Tehran War Cemetery have been concentrated from the following cemeteries:- AKHBARABAD PROTESTANT CEMETERY (later known as Tehran Military Cemetery) CHASHMEH-i-ZULIAK ANGLO PERSIAN OILFIELDS CEMETERY (later known as Masjid-I-sulaiman Cemetery) HAMADAN MILITARY CEMETERY, KAZVIN BRITISH WAR CEMETERY, NAIBUND BRITISH CEMETERY, RESHIRE BRITISH CEMETERY, RESHT ARMENIAN CEMETERY, SHIRAZ BRITISH CEMETERY, and TEHRAN MILITARY CEMETERY. Included in the 1914-1918 commemorations were members of 'Dunsterforce', a British mission set up by Major-General Dunsterville in 1918. Their purpose was to organise the forces of the Transcaucasian Federal Republic (comprising Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia) to enable them to withstand a Turkish attack. Their task was impeded by constant civil war, and in May of that year, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia separately declared their independence. 'Dunsterforce' assumed a more direct military role when Baku was under threat of a Turkish attack. In August, 1918 reinforced by about 1000 British Infantry, it occupied Baku to prevent the port and oil-fields from falling under Turkish control. However the following month saw the evacuation of Baku by the British due to the superior numbers of the Turkish force. The British returned to Baku after the Armistice and remained there as an occupying force until September, 1919.

BANFIELD, Flying Officer, ARTHUR HAROLD, 52396. Royal Air Force. 15th September 1944. Age 31. Husband of Iris Banfield, of Philipstown, Cape Province, South Africa. 1. B. 13

ROBERTSON, Major, C W, Southern Rhodesia Medical Corps. 31st January 1943. 1. A. 3.

Iran (COMPLETE)