Beachhead War Cemetery — Attraction in Anzio

Beautiful location exceptionally well managed by the CWGC!! This is the Commonwealth cemetery in Anzio, the American one is just a few kilometers away in Nettuno. Anzio is a coastal town 70 kilometres south of Rome. To reach Anzio take the Route No.148 Superstrada Motorway, which runs between Rome and Latina. Turn off the Superstrada at the No.207, following the signs towards Anzio. The route is well signposted from the Superstrada. The Cemetery lies 5 kilometres north of Anzio town on the No.207 and Commission signs are visible 150 metres from the cemetery. There is a small parking area at the main entrance. Beach Head War Cemetery should not be confused with Anzio War Cemetery which lies just off the No.207, 1 kilometre north of Anzio just close to the communal cemetery of Anzio. Cemetery address: Via Nettunense km 34 - 00040 Anzio (RM) Lazio. GPS Co-ordinates: Latitude: 41.482355, Longitude: 12.625456. On 3 September 1943 the Allies invaded the Italian mainland, the invasion coinciding with an armistice made with the Italians who then re-entered the war on the Allied side. Progress through southern Italy was rapid despite stiff resistance, but by the end of October, the Allies were facing the German winter defensive position known as the Gustav Line, which stretched from the river Garigliano in the west to the Sangro in the east. Initial attempts to breach the western end of the line were unsuccessful. Operations in January 1944 landed troops behind the German lines at Anzio, but defences were well organised, and a breakthrough was not actually achieved until May. The site of the cemetery originally lay close to a casualty clearing station. Burials were made direct from the battlefield after the landings at Anzio and later, after the Army had moved forward, many graves were brought in from the surrounding country. Beach Head War Cemetery contains 2,316 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 295 of them unidentified. There is also one First World War burial which was brought into the cemetery from Chieti Communal Cemetery near Rome. The cemetery was designed by Louis...

This cemetery always amazes me when I visit my Uncle's grave. It is really immaculate and always so tidy. The grass is always cut to perfection. On this day of my visit I noticed that the graves need there regular occasional clean. In the many years I have visited I have never found a fault with this place, and find it a wonderfully peaceful location for all those brave military men that lost their lives. Beach Head War Cemetery contains 2,316 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 295 of them...

Cimitero Monumentale Britannico, Nettuno, Lazio. Non si può lasciare la costa laziale senza visitare i cimiteri di guerra della Seconda Guerra Mondiale, testimonianze di una tragedia immane che ha provocato oltre 60 milioni di morti. Entrando nel Beach Head War Cemetery, uno dei cimiteri di guerra di Nettuno, è come entrare in uno spaccato di memoria recente e indelebile che ha colpito decine di migliaia di giovani vite cadute in battaglia sul suolo straniero. Colpisce profondamente l'età della moltitudine dei militari caduti, compresa tra i 18 e 19 anni, praticamente dei ragazzi. Chi si sofferma davanti a una di queste croci è facile che sia assalito da un senso di angoscia e di tristezza, pensando alla sua giovane vita spezzata e lo strazio di sua mamma forse impossibilitata a viaggiare per poter piangere sulla tomba del proprio figlio. Ho fatto molte fotografie, ma ne pubblico solo una quasi a caso, poichè rappresenta tutto il dolore e la pietà umana per questi giovani ragazzi. Questa foto l'ho intitolata "Pray for me mamy". Il sito è mistico, immerso nel silenzio marziale come si conviene per un cimitero di guerra e tutte quelle croci, così delineate e defilate sono la testimonianza di quei Comrades In Arms per...