Thanbyuzayat Allied War Cemetery, Burma. c. 30 January 1955. Situated approximately sixty five ...

Thanbyuzayat Allied War Cemetery, Burma. c. 30 January 1955. Situated approximately sixty five kilometres south of Moulmein, Thanbyuzayat was the starting point of the Burma-Thailand railway constructed by the Japanese using prisoner of war (POW) labour over the period September 1942 to October 1943. It was the Japanese Administration Headquarters for POWs in Burma, and also served as a base hospital for seriously ill POWs from up country railway camps from October 1942 until June 1943, when Allied air raids forced the Japanese to abandon the site. At the conclusion of the war in August 1945, the graves of those POWs who died during the construction and maintenance of the railway, between Thanbyuzayat and Nieke, were transferred to this cemetery (except Americans who were repatriated). Also buried here are those who died of illness or were executed by the Japanese at Victoria Point Mergui, Tavoy and Moulmein in Burma, between June and September 1942. The total number of burials is 3,771, including 1,335 Australians. The other two Allied War Cemeteries are located in Thailand: Chungkai 1,740 burials; Kanchanaburi 6,982 (including 1,362 Australians).