Catania War Cemetery, Sicily
- Country Italy
- Total identified casualties 2028 Find these casualties
- Identified casualties from Second World War
- GPS Coordinates Latitude: 37.46263, Longitude: 15.03889
Location information
Catania War Cemetery is 7 kilometres south-west of Catania. From Catania Airport follow the tangenziale (main road) towards the A19 (in the direction of Palermo). Before reaching the A19 the cemetery is signposted. Cemetery address: Stradale Passo del Fico - 95121 Catania Zona Industriale (CT) Sicily. GPS Coo-ordinates: Latitude: 37.46303, Longitude: 15.038888.
Visiting information
Catania War Cemetery is southwest of Catania on the east coast of Sicily.
ARRIVAL
The route to the cemetery is signposted.
PARKING
There is a large car park at the side of the main road to the front of the cemetery. The car park surface is tarmac, and the ground is flat.
ACCESS, LAYOUT & MAIN ENTRANCE
The cemetery is large and rectangular shaped, there are flagstone steps leading up to the main entrance.
On each side of the steps is a shelter building, inside each shelter building are two stone benches. There is a step up in the shelter buildings, and a step down out into the cemetery. The shelter building of the right side entering the cemetery contains the Register Box.
Once up the steps between the two shelters a large metal double gate approximately 190 cm wide opens into the cemetery, directly onto the grass burial area.
Along a central grass aisle leading to the Cross of Sacrifice from the main entrance are large flat flagstone areas, these lead to the furthest point of the cemetery from the main entrance.
The Cross of Sacrifice is raised on a plinth up several stone steps.
Behind the Cross of Sacrifice are three large semi-circular stone and hedge alcoves, inside each alcove is a large semi-circular stone bench, with a pool behind it, filled to a depth of 600 mm.
ALTERNATIVE ACCESS
Alternative access to the cemetery is via the staff entrance.
Follow a gravel farm track along the side of the cemetery that passes through the gardener’s area.
At the end of the track, there is a gate approximately 250 cm wide which opens into the cemetery.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The Cemetery Is permanently open.
However, due to a series of thefts the cemetery register and visitor’s book is not available outside of the gardener’s working hours.
Working Hours for Catania War Cemetery are the following:
Winter: 0800 hrs to 1200 hrs
1300 hrs to 1500 hrs
Summer: 0700 hrs to 1200 hrs
1300 hrs to 1530 hrs
PLEASE NOTE: The Commission is aware of the fly-tipping on the road leading to this cemetery but this is outside our control. However, our staff do inform the Security Personnel whenever this occurs.
History information
On 10 July 1943, following the successful conclusion of the north African campaign in mid May, a combined allied force of 160,000 Commonwealth and American troops invaded Sicily as a prelude to the assault on mainland Italy. The Italians, who would shortly make peace with the Allies and re-enter the war on their side, offered little determined resistance but German opposition was vigorous and stubborn. The campaign in Sicily came to an end on 17 August when the two allied forces came together at Messina, but failed to cut off the retreating Axis lines.
Catania War Cemetery contains burials from the later stages of the campaign, from Lentini northwards. Many died in the heavy fighting just short of Catania (the town was taken on 5 August) and in the battle for the Simeto river bridgehead.
Catania War Cemetery contains 2,135 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 112 of them unidentified.