Silent stewards of history: Meet the caretakers of Kranji War Memorial

At this hour, the hilltop site overlooking the Strait of Johor is closed to visitors.

But for Mr Ben Lim, 53, a poignant moment is unfolding on this significant anniversary – Victory over Japan Day.

It marks the end of World War II in Asia in 1945.

A light-up is taking place at the memorial, timed to coincide with those across the United Kingdom.

Mr Lim is the Singapore country manager and head caretaker at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Based in the UK, the commission is responsible for commemorating nearly 1.7 million Commonwealth service personnel, and maintaining their graves and memorials.

It manages about 23,000 sites across more than 150 countries.

Since joining the commission in September 2023, Mr Lim has been overseeing the light-up at Kranji every year as well as the daily caretaking of the grounds.

For him, the lights are not decorative.

They serve as a way to connect with memorials across the UK, and a reminder that remembrance, like his work, continues quietly long after the crowds have left.

For many visitors today, the wars exist only in textbooks and photographs.

As the world moves further from the lived memory of the conflicts, the weight of remembrance is no longer borne primarily by survivors or families, but also by those who quietly care for the cemetery each day.

Mr Lim used to work as a service engineer in the healthcare industry.

Seeking a change from the high-pressure environment, he found unexpected meaning in tending to the grounds of the cemetery – where the memorial is located – and engaging visitors.

While his role centres on administrative and landscaping duties, Mr Lim has taken it upon himself to shape how the memorial is experienced.

He reads up on the history of Kranji War Memorial and the stories of those commemorated there on his own time.

He shares this knowledge with visitors, and continues to deepen his understanding through conversations with guides and descendants of the war dead.

“When visitors thank us for maintaining the place well, it makes my team and me very proud,” Mr Lim says.

“It tells us the place still matters, and that’s what makes the work worthwhile.”

He is assisted by Mr Tan Luen Chin, 40, an assistant landscape supervisor who began work at the memorial in March 2024.

Mr Tan has worked at sites ranging from the gardens of Ngee Ann Polytechnic to an HDB estate in Buangkok to Prince George’s Park residences at the National University of Singapore.

Guardians of remembrance

In 2026, the Kranji War Cemetery marks eight decades since it was established in 1946 to commemorate the personnel who died during the first and second world wars – the vast majority of whom fell during World War II.

The site honours about 29,000 service personnel.

While the cemetery’s origins lie decades in the past, its role as a place of remembrance continues to unfold in the present.

Every year on Remembrance Day – the second Sunday of November – people from all walks of life and different countries gather to honour the soldiers, civilians and emergency service personnel who lost their lives in the two world wars and subsequent conflicts.

On Nov 9, 2025, rows of chairs were laid out across the cemetery to receive visiting delegations, including contingents from the Singapore Armed Forces, diplomats from foreign embassies, students and members of the public.

At dawn, the sound of bagpipes played by a piper from the Singapore Police Force Gurkha Contingent echoed across the grounds, setting a solemn tone at the ceremony, where everyone took turns to pay their respects. 

“It is days like this that remind us that we cannot afford to fall short in our work,” says Mr Tan.

“It is our responsibility to present the cemetery at its best.”

That sense of responsibility does not end when the ceremonies are over.

Both Mr Lim and Mr Tan believe it is essential to keep the cemetery in a dignified condition every day.

“When the cemetery is neat and well-kept, people are more willing to step beyond the gates,” Mr Lim says.

“That is when their curiosity is sparked, and when the memory of those buried here can continue to live on.”

Mr Lim and Mr Tan oversee a small team of eight foreign contract workers responsible for maintaining the cemetery, which spans almost 4ha.

Their work begins at 8am and continues through the heat of the afternoon until 5pm.

Bent over a patch of soil, a worker loosens weeds with a gloved hand, dropping them into a plastic basket filled with leaves and cuttings.

Nearby, freshly turned earth contrasts sharply with the neat green of the lawn.

 In Singapore’s climate, grass grows quickly and trees overgrow fast if left untended. 

“It doesn’t stay like this by itself,” Mr Lim says, glancing across the manicured hillside.

“If we stop, you will see the difference very fast.”

While Mr Lim focuses on weeding and replacing withered plants around the headstones, Mr Tan checks on the workers to ensure safety protocols are followed, and scans the surroundings for potential hazards, such as snakes or wild boars.

“We have to make sure there are no gaps in the fencing around the area to prevent them from coming in,” Mr Tan says. 

Occasionally, gravestones shift due to soil movement and have to be carefully realigned to avoid damage.

Trees are also pruned regularly to prevent their roots from disturbing the ground beneath the graves.

The work is guided by standards set by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Uniformity matters, not only in the appearance of the headstones, but also in what they represent.

In death, rank and status are erased.

Each grave is treated with the same care.

As the afternoon light softens, the tools are packed away and the grounds settle into stillness.

The grass is evenly trimmed, the paths cleared and the headstones cleaned.

The next morning, the work will begin again.