Baroness D'Souza, Speaker of the House of Lords, led a UK parliamentary delegation to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) cemetery at Gauhati, India, yesterday (19 February) to pay respect to those who died in World War II.

Nine MPs and Lords joined the Lord Speaker in paying their respects at the cemetery, where 486 Commonwealth servicemen are either buried or commemorated. The parliamentarians were in India to strengthen links and co-operation between India and Britain.

They were in Gauhati (Guwahati) on following a series of meetings and interactive sessions in Delhi and Kolkata.

CWGC Gauhati War Cemetery Manager Salew Pfotte said: “The Commission is pleased to host the delegation at the cemetery, which was created during the Second World War for burials from the several military hospitals posted in the area. Hopefully the attention generated by their visit will encourage more visitors to come and pay their respects to the fallen.”

Scott Furssedonn-Wood, the British Deputy High Commissioner (Kolkata), said: "The Gauhati War Cemetery is a special site because this is where Hindu, Muslim and Christian soldiers who fell during the Great War were [cremated or] buried.

"The Commission is doing an amazing job in preserving the legacy of the soldiers who laid down their lives during the war."