Anzio is a coastal town in Italy, 70 kilometres south of Rome.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission website describes how "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 2,315 Commonwealth burials
of the Second World War, 294 of them unidentified."
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2721511 L. SJT / A. ASHTON. DCM. / IRISH GUARDS / 4TH
FEBRUARY 1944 AGE 23 / ... (Grave Ref. XVII. F. 6.)
Antony Ashton, DCM - "Son of
Wilfred and Jane Ashton, of Burnley, Lancashire; husband of Gladys Ashton,
of Burnley."
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt of Honour Register |
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14392276 PRIVATE / R. BURNHAM / THE WILTSHIRE REGIMENT / 3RD
JUNE 1944 AGE 19 / ... (Grave Ref. X. D. 12.)
Raymond Burnham - "Son of Ernest
and Annie Burnham, of Watford, Hertfordshire."
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt of Honour Register |
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14562780 PRIVATE / A. COLES / THE WILTSHIRE REGIMENT / 17TH
MAY 1944 (Grave Ref. XV. A. 11.) |
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15745 PRIVATE / S. G. ELLIS / BRITISH WEST INDIES REGT. /
25TH DECEMBER 1917 (Grave Ref. 7A. B. 4.)
"Gilbert George Ellis"
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt of Honour Register |
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14306029 PRIVATE / R. J. ELMS / THE WILTSHIRE REGIMENT /
10TH APRIL 1944 AGE 20 / ... (Grave Ref. XI. F. 1.)
Ronald Jack Elms - "Grandson of
Janet Elms, of Eastbourne, Sussex."
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt of Honour Register |
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MAJOR / A. S. D. FORDER / THE SHERWOOD FORESTERS / 6TH MAY
1944 AGE 24 / ... (Grave Ref. XIV. C. 2.)
Alfred Stuart Douglas Forder -
"Son of the Revd. Frank George Forder, M.A., and of Janet Mary Forder, of
Kensington, London. Scholar of Selwyn College, Cambridge."
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt of Honour Register |
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14345439 PRIVATE / T. L. HUDSON / THE LOYAL REGIMENT / 19TH
FEBRUARY 1944 (Grave Ref. I. E. 9.)
Thomas Louis Hudson
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt of Honour Register |
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3383763 PRIVATE / A. ORMEROD / THE LOYAL REGIMENT / 3RD JUNE
1944 |
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5569997 PRIVATE / J. W. PULLEN / THE WILTSHIRE REGIMENT /
10TH APRIL 1944 AGE 23 (Grave Ref. XI. F. 3.)
John William Pullen - "Son of Mr.
and Mrs. George Pullen; husband of Gladys Pullen, of Corsham, Wiltshire."
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt of Honour Register |
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5568932 SERJEANT / M.A.W. ROGERS. VC.,MM. / THE WILTSHIRE
REGIMENT / 3RD JUNE 1944 AGE 25 / IN MEMORY / OF MY BELOVED HUSBAND. / MAY
WE BE TOGETHER SOON, DEAR / "PEACE AT LAST" (Grave Ref. X. D. 8.)
Maurice Albert Wyndham Rogers - "Son of Albert Edward and Dora Grace
Rogers; husband of Lena Elizabeth Rogers, of Plaistow, Essex." "The
citation in the London Gazette of 8th August, 1944, gives the following
details; In Italy, a battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment was ordered to
attack high ground held by the enemy. The carrier platoon of the leading
company, dismounted were ordered to capture the final objective. They
advanced under intense fire and sustained a number of casualties. The
platoon, checked by the enemy's wire and the intensity of his machine-gun
fire, took cover some 70 yards short of their objective. Serjeant Rogers
continued to advance alone, and penetrated 30 yards inside the enemy's
defences, drawing their fire and throwing them into confusion. Inspired by
his example, the platoon began the assault. Serjeant Rogers was blown off
his feet by a grenade, and wounded in the leg. Nothing daunted, he ran on
towards an enemy machine-gun post, attempting to silence it. He was shot and
killed at point blank range. This N.C.O.'s undaunted determination, fearless
devotion to duty and superb courage carried his platoon on to their
objective in a strongly defended position. The great gallantry and heroic
self-sacrifice of Serjeant Rogers were in the highest tradition of the
British Army."
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt of Honour Register |
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6292040 PRIVATE / H. ST. C. DE WITT / THE QUEEN'S OWN /
ROYAL WEST KENT REGIMENT / 11TH FEBRUARY 1944 AGE 29 / ... (Grave Ref.
III. F. 4.)
Herbert St Clair de Witt - "Son
of Herbert Henry de Witt and of Ethel Maud de Witt (nee Quick); husband of
Louisa Elizabeth de Witt, of Highbury, London."
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt of Honour Register |
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3976491 L. CPL / R. J. TILDESLEY / THE YORK & LANCASTER
REGT. / 24TH MAY 1944 AGE 32 / O MOST MERCIFUL LORD JESUS / GIVE UNTO HIM
ETERNAL REST / AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT / SHINE UPON HIM. (Grave Ref. II.
A. 1.)
Richard Joseph Tildesley - "Son
of Richard and Catherine Tildesley, of Chester."
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt of Honour Register |
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5572163 L. CPL / C.P. TINSON / THE WILTSHIRE REGIMENT / 30TH
MAY 1944 AGE 24 / ... (Grave Ref. III. H. 1.)
Christopher Percy Tinson - "Son
of Percy and Beatrice Ellen Tinson, of Chippenham, Wiltshire."
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt of Honour Register |
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14567470 PRIVATE / F. TOWNSON / THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON'S /
REGIMENT / 12TH FEBRUARY 1944 AGE 32 (Grave Ref. XXI. E. 8.)
Frank Townson - "Son of Fred and
Emily Townson, of Burnley, Lancashire; husband of Doris Townson, of
Burnley."
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt of Honour Register |
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5732234 CORPORAL / F. E. WATTON / THE QUEEN'S ROYAL REGIMENT
/ 1ST MARCH 1944 AGE 22 (Grave Ref. XXI. C. 10.)
Francis Edward Watton - "Son of
Francis P. and Albertine C. Watton, of Le Bourg, Jersey, Channel Islands."
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt of Honour Register |
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5343739 RIFLEMAN / H. WESTERN / LONDON IRISH RIFLES / 24TH
FEBRUARY 1944 AGE 29 / ALL HE HAD / ALL HE HOPED FOR / HE GAVE FOR FREEDOM
(Grave Ref. XIX. A. 10.)
Harry Western - "Son of Pte.
William Western, Devonshire Regt. (killed in action in France, 1st July,
1916), and Blanche Western."
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt of Honour Register |
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5574158 PRIVATE / S. A. WOOD / THE WILTSHIRE REGIMENT / 1ST
JUNE 1944 (Grave Ref. XVI. C. 9.)
"Sidney Wood"
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt of Honour Register |