In Memory of

Donald Ray File

Private

5625486

1st Bn., Devonshire Regiment

who died on

Monday, 8th May 1944. Age 28.

Additional Information:

Son of Mr. and Mrs. L. J. File, of Elham, Kent.

Commemorative Information

Memorial:

RANGOON MEMORIAL, Myanmar

Grave Reference/

Panel Number:

Face 6.

Location:

The Rangoon Memorial is situated in Taukkyan War Cemetery, which is outside Yangon(formerlyRangoon), 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. The Memorial stands in the centre of the Cemetery, surrounded by the graves of more than 6,000 men who fought and died with those whom it commemorates, whose remains were brought from the battlefield cemeteries at Akyab, Mandalay, Meiktila and Sahmaw, and from scattered jungle and roadside graves all over Burma. It is in the form of two long open garden courts flanked by covered walks and joined by an open rotunda. The names of the fallen arecarved on the inner faces of broad rectangular piers placed at intervals to form the sides of the covered walks. Through these colonnades can be seen the green lawns of the cemetery and the colourful garden courts. On the frieze inside the rotunda are inscribed in English these words: 1939-1945 HERE ARE RECORDED THE NAMES OF TWENTY SEVEN THOUSAND SOLDIERS OF MANY RACES UNITED IN SERVICE TO THE BRITISH CROWN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN BURMA AND ASSAM BUT TO WHOM THE FORTUNE OF WAR DENIED THE CUSTOMARY RITES ACCORDED TO THEIR COMRADES IN DEATH Also engraved on the rotunda in English, Burmese,Hindi, Urdu and Gurmukhi is the additional inscription: