When a Muslim
died while in one of the many Indian hospitals in Brighton and Hove,
his body, in charge of one of his own people, was taken in a motor
hearse and with a Muslim doctor, was sent to Woking, where it was
received by a Muslim priest and buried with the rites of his religion
in a special section of the cemetery,
The funeral would be a military one, the firing party being supplied
by the nearest troops.
The site in Woking was built during World War I 1914 - 1918 to
receive burials of Muslim Indian Army soldiers who died while in
one of the many specially converted Indian Military
hospitals in Brighton and Hove.
19 Moslem bodies were taken from Brighton to The
Shah Jehan Mosque in Woking.
During the 1960s the bodies were removed to a Military
Cemetery at Brookwood Cemetery due to vandalism.
The Shah Jehan Mosque opened in 1889 it is the oldest
purpose built Mosque in Britain. It provided a place for worship
for Muslim.
Woking Common
Futures Event Tuesday 2nd December 2003
A gift from the people of
India to the inhabitants of Brighton & Hove
Two Indian Memorials exist
in Brighton
The Chattri Memorial Service 22nd June 2003
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