Beach Head War Cemetery, Anzio

 

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."

The Cemetery contains the grave of Arnold Ormerod (Grave Ref. III. F. 3.), of the Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire).

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

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

14562780 PRIVATE / A. COLES / THE WILTSHIRE REGIMENT / 17TH MAY 1944

(Grave Ref. XV. A. 11.)

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

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

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

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

3383763 PRIVATE / A. ORMEROD / THE LOYAL REGIMENT / 3RD JUNE 1944
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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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