Sight
Kembang Kuning War Cemetery
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Kembang Kuning War Cemetery, also known as the Dutch Field of Honor Kembang Kuning, is a war cemetery in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. It holds the graves of more than five thousand victims of the Pacific War and the Indonesian War of Independence, including both civilians and servicemen of the former Royal Netherlands East Indies Army and the Mariniersbrigade.
Don't miss
- Monument to naval officer Karel Doorman, commemorating the Battle of the Java Sea
- Fifteen bronze plates listing the names of 915 missing Dutch sailors from the Battle of the Java Sea
- Karel Doormanhof section, where three casualties of the Battle of the Java Sea are buried
- Graves of more than five thousand victims, including civilians and servicemen from the KNIL and Mariniersbrigade
Tours here are mostly arranged locally rather than through the big booking sites. Asik Travel runs small-group trips in this region with local guides.
Getting there
A bit of history
The cemetery commemorates those who died in the Pacific War and the Indonesian War of Independence. A monument to naval officer Karel Doorman stands in the middle, honoring the Battle of the Java Sea on 27 February 1942, in which 918 Dutch sailors were killed. The names of the 915 missing are inscribed on fifteen bronze plates on the back of the monument. Only three casualties of that battle are actually buried in the Karel Doormanhof section here.
Common questions
Who is buried at Kembang Kuning War Cemetery?
More than five thousand victims of the Pacific War and the Indonesian War of Independence, including civilians and servicemen of the former Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) and the Mariniersbrigade.
What is the Karel Doorman monument?
It is a monument in the center of the cemetery commemorating the Battle of the Java Sea on 27 February 1942, where 918 Dutch sailors died. The names of 915 missing are on fifteen bronze plates on the back.
Are there any burials from the Battle of the Java Sea here?
Yes, three casualties of the Battle of the Java Sea are buried in the Karel Doormanhof section of the cemetery.
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