The Commonwealth Beach Head cemetery in Anzio contains the graves of the fallen of the First and Second World War and is one of the largest English cemeteries in Italy.
It has 2,316 graves of which there are 6 Australian, 2,193 British, 69 Canadian, 5 of United India, 5 New Zealanders , 25 South-African, 6 of the African Pioneer Corps (5 of Swaziland and 1 of Lesotho) and 3 tombs of unknown soldiers from the 1939-45 War.
The cemetery was built in the place where an emergency room had been set up for the allied troops after the landing of Anzio on 22nd January 1944 and during the subsequent battles.
The first bodies were buried immediately after landing. Of the 2,316 bodies, 295 are not yet identified.
The tombs consist of a series of tombstones that bear the name, age, regiment and religion of the combatant. In addition, any sentences desired by family members are inscribed.
All graves are immersed in a soft carpet of grass with flowers planted at each headstone and roses planted at each row of gravestones.
The cemetery was designed by Luois de Soissons.
Follow us