KAMUNTING Rd. CEMETERY, TAIPING

Kamunting Rd.Christain Cemetery,Taiping contains the graves of many members of the Commonwealth Military Forces killed during the Emergency. It also is the last resting place of seven British officers of the Royal Malayan Police also killed during that period. Tom Turnbull,ex Malayan Police Officer, and but for the chance toss of a coin*, one of the first RMP Officers to be interred there, visited in the late 90's. He was shocked to find that these seven graves were sadly neglected with most of the headstones fallen over,in addition the Honour Board in the Church portal recorded the names of all military personnel buried there but no mention was made of the Police Officers. To rectify this state of affairs and return some dignity to the memory of these Officers enquiries were made to the Australian and British War Graves Commissions, who maintain the military graves. The Australians replied that as none of the Officers were Australian there was nothing they could do,the British authorities also replied in the negative on the grounds that the Officers were employees of the Royal Malayan Police ( a strange decision considering that service in the RMP qualified for award of the British General Service Medal). In 2000 the Australian Branch of the National Malayan Borneo Veterans Assn. called for donations to renovate the graves* and provide a Honour Board naming the seven Police Officers for placement in the Church portal. The Christain Church authorities in Taiping agreed to arrange for this work to be done upon receipt of sufficient funds. Within a few months the money had been raised and work started under the supervision of the Church authorities with the dedication ceremony held on June 17th.2001.

New Honour Board mounted in Church Portal

*Tom's story:" Early morning 24th.July,1950 the OSPC Taiping called off the Police cordon which ran from the Ijok Rd. to the Sg.Ara for re-briefing. Two squads would take over from the 2nd.Btn., Malay Regt. who were pursuing a CT group towards Kedah, and two would return to Taiping in reserve. The take over would be dangerous because it gave the CTs about six hours to move on or prepare an ambush; they chose the latter. Because I had extended my tour of duty and they (Webb and Wernham) were leaving the country in a matter of days, I insisted my squads should take over from 2 Malay Regt. Webb and Wernham in turn insisted the toss of a coin should decide who went North into the jungle and the drop of that coin is why I am still here."
*To view re-furbished graves click HERE

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