In Memory of
JOHN WALTER STARLING
Private 3059631
1st Bn., Royal Scots
who died on
Wednesday, 31st January 1945. Age 25.
Additional Information:
Son of Mervyn and Miriam Starling, of York.
Commemorative Information
Cemetery:
TAUKKYAN WAR CEMETERY, Myanmar
Grave Reference/
Panel Number:
18. G. 14.
Location:
Taukkyan War Cemetery is outside Yangon (formerly Rangoon), near the airport and
immediately adjoining the village of Taukkyan. It is on the Prome Road, about 35
kilometres north of the city from which it is easily accessible.
Historical Information:
Burma (now Myanmar), was formerly part of British India. It became a seperate state in
April, 1937. During the Japanese occupation the civil Government functioned in India from
December 1941, returning to Burma in October 1945. After the war Burma broke away
from British rule and became a soverign independent republic called the Independent Union
of Burma, conbsisting of Burma proper, the Shan States and Karen States. Taukkyan War
Cemetery is the largest of the three war cemeteries in Burma. It was commenced in 1951
for the reception of graves from four battlefield cemeteries which were difficult to
access
and could not be maintained; viz.: Akyab, Mandalay, Meiktila and Sahmaw. The last was
an original "Chindit" cemetery containing many of the casualties from the battle
for
Myitkyina. The individuality of these battlefield cemeteries has been carefully preserved
by grouping together in this new cemetery the graves from each. In addition, graves were
also transferred from civil and cantonment cemeteries, and a number of jungle and
roadside graves were brought in. 52 British servicemen who died during the years
1914-1918 have also been moved into this cemetery from Henzada Cemetery, Meiktila
Cantonment Cemetery, Thayetmyo New Cemetery, Thamakan Cemetery, Mandakay
Military Cemetery and Maymyo Cantonment Cemetery, where permanent maintenance was
not possible.
Copyright The Commonwealth War Graves Commission