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Royal Canadian Mounted Police
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Heliopolis War Graves Cemetery
Cairo Egypt - Nov 13, 2011
by Steve R. Semenchuk
On November 13, 2011 retired RCMP Sgt. Steve Semenchuk attended Remembrance Day ceremonies at the Heliopolis WWII Commonwealth War Graves Cemetary located in Cario, Egypt.
During the ceremony he layed a wreath on behalf of the RCMP Veterans Association to honour all Commonwealth veterans.
The Heliopolis cemetary was opened in October 1941 and contains the graves of 1,742 Commonwealth personnel (including 13 Canadians) and 83 from other nationalities who fought in North Africa or as part of the RAF Canal Zone fighter defence. The cemetary also contains two WWI memorials to remember 4,000 members of the Indian Army who died in Egypt and Palestine and 600 Commonwelath soldiers who died in the defence of Aden and have no known graves.
While at the cemetery Sgt. Semenchuk had the opportunity to meet with local school children and walk through the grounds where he found the graves of four Canadian airmen. Sgt Semenchuk is also a member of Branch 136, Royal Canadian Legion.