CWGC hosts 75 year anniversary of the battle of Monte Cassino

Today, the CWGC and the British Embassy in Rome have paid tribute to those who fought in the bloody fighting in Italy, in a special ceremony hosted at The Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cassino War Cemetery

This May marks the 75-year anniversary of the Battle of Monte Cassino. To pay homage to those who died, a special ceremony will be held by the British Embassy in Rome on 16 May at CWGC’s Cassino War Cemetery, the final resting place of over 4,200 Commonwealth servicemen who lost their lives.

Although it was one of the toughest campaigns of the Second World War, the Allied victory was almost immediately overshadowed by the landings in Normandy just two weeks later. Disparagingly referred to at the time as D-Day dodgers, the servicemen and women of the Italian campaign saw some of the fiercest fighting of the Second World War. The reality of their service and sacrifice is all too evident in the many CWGC cemeteries throughout Italy.

Alongside the ceremony, the CWGC will be marking the historic anniversary through its Voices of Liberation project. Voices of Liberation is a global project which seeks to capture veteran’s and the public’s reflections on the Second World War and CWGC sites of remembrance, for a unique online sound archive.

The recordings capture the voices of veterans who served in infamous battles during the war, such as Geoffrey Winters, who saw action in Italy and Germany. Geoffrey was an officer with the First Battalion the York and Lancaster regiment. Now 96 years old, Geoffrey recorded his story to be part of the archive:

“Being in the infantry as young officer was a very dangerous occupation and wasn’t a matter of skill…. you were either lucky or unlucky and I clearly was very lucky because I wasn’t wounded or killed.

Once you are within shellfire range of the enemy, your life is at risk, and you live with that, you don’t think about it. I’ve never regarded myself as brave, just very ordinary. But I have to say this…

If you’re lying flat on the ground or lying in a shallow trench, and you’re being shelled for three or four hours, with the bombs and shells dropping all round you, you can’t be happy, you can certainly be apprehensive. What you’ve not got to be is fearful”

The CWGC cares for the graves of over 4,200 Commonwealth servicemen Cassino War Cemetery, most of whom died on the surrounding battlefields. A further 4,000 who died in Sicily and Italy, as well as at Monte Cassino, and have no known grave are commemorated by name on the Cassino Memorial. The soldiers were drawn from many nations. Alongside the graves of British and Irish troops from regiments such as the Green Howards, the Grenadier Guards and the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers are Muslims from Indian battalions, Maoris from New Zealand, Canadian and South African servicemen.

The 75-year anniversary saw veterans and representatives of New Zealand, Italy and Great Britain gather at the CWGC Cassino War Cemetery to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle.

Sir Tim Laurence, Vice Chairman for the CWGC said:

“The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is privileged to host this service at our cemetery and memorial here at Cassino today . The event is in memory of all those who served and died during the Italian campaign, but most especially here at Monte Cassino 75 years ago.

We are particularly honoured to be joined at this event by veterans of the Italian campaign. We hope that our stewardship of the graves and memorials to your comrades and friends is a fitting tribute to their achievements and their memory, and of comfort to you.

There are few traces of the Italian battlefields left today but the Commission’s beautifully tended cemeteries honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice in this region, and are a reminder to us all of the human cost of war.”

British ambassador to Italy, HE Jill Morris said:

“It is important to commemorate all those who died, military and civilian, during the Italian Campaign. Today, in the presence of a number of veterans, we pay our respects to those Allied service personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice in the Battles of Cassino; fighting for Italy’s liberation.”

“The strong bond that endures between the British and Italian people is underscored by those who now lie in peace in the beautifully maintained cemetery that sits in the shadow of the historic abbey”

Defence Minister Tobias Ellwood said:

“The Battle of Monte Cassino was a key, and often overlooked, turning point in the Second World War. So it’s right that we’re commemorating the events that took place 75 years ago this week, in order to remember all those service personnel involved. It will be particularly moving to see the graves, maintained so wonderfully by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in defending our country.”

Alongside the sound archive the CWGC has launched its new podcast series “Legacy of Liberation”, the six-part series explores the key moments of the Second World war conflict, and the historic cemeteries and memorials which commemorate those who fought and died. The CWGC’s Dr Glyn Prysor and Dr Lucy Kellett explore the unique experience of visiting these sites of memory and mourning, taking a fresh look at events which have become almost legendary, and examining the artistic, architectural and social legacies of these iconic places.

You can contribute to Voices of Liberation and listen to the podcast here: liberation.cwgc.org