Cenotaph in Tugu Negara Memorial Park, Kuala Lumpur

Cenotaph in Singapore

An Australian Bugler sounding the last post? in front of the cenotaph at its original location during 1941 ( source : life)

Possible location of the cenotaph at the location of the roundabout next to the railway station. The cenotaph A 1970's photo ( source: life

The cenotaph in Tugu Negara Memorial Park, Kuala Lumpur ( source : google picture)

I have been to Kuala Lumpur so often. But unfortunately I did not make it a point to visit the Memorial Park where the National Monument stood, even though I am a staunch military history buff. Anyhow, I was pretty curious when I came across a 1940’s photo of an Australian bugler standing next to a cenotaph. First glance, I thought it was the cenotaph in Singapore located at the esplanade ( Elizabeth Walk). However, on closer look, I realized that the icon on the memorial was a wreath unlike the King’s Crown which was on the Singapore Memorial.

After trawling through the virtual world, I realized that the cenotaph can be found in Kuala Lumpur at the memorial park where the Tugu Negara ( National Monument) is located and was officially opened in 1966

The Cenotaph was first located at the intersection of Jalan Tugu ( Cenotaph Road) and Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin (Victoria Avenue) on the roundabout, close to the the old Kuala Lumpur Railway Station and marching distance towards and from the Merdeka Square ( the Selangor Club Padang) where parades were held. Due to the construction of bypass roads, the monument has been relocated in 1964.

As reported, the granite structure was built in 1921 on its original site to commemorate the fallen whom have been working in Malaya but has volunteered to go back to serve in WWI. The years of 1939-1945, and 1948 – 1960 have been added on in later years to commemorate the fallen during WW2 and the Malayan Emergency respectively.