Footsteps of WWII · Italy
Cassino War Cemetery and Memorial (CWGC)
Cemetery · Jan–May 1944
The story
This Commonwealth cemetery lies on the valley floor below Monte Cassino, among the ground where British, Indian, New Zealand, Canadian and other Commonwealth troops fought between January and May 1944. It holds 4,271 Commonwealth servicemen, 289 of them unidentified. Inside the cemetery stands the Cassino Memorial, which carries the names of more than 4,000 Commonwealth servicemen who died in the Italian campaign and have no known grave. The New Zealand Corps attacks of February and March 1944 and the Eighth Army's crossing of the Rapido (Gari) in May were fought within sight of this spot.
What to look for
Rows of headstones in a walled garden, with the abbey on its hill above. The Cassino Memorial is a series of green marble panels around a pool. Look up from the cemetery to Monastery Hill to see the slopes the infantry had to climb.
Plan your visit
Free. CWGC sites are normally open access; check the CWGC website for any works before you go. Short drive from Cassino town centre.
Things change, so check opening times before you travel.
Nearby sites
- Abbey of Monte Cassino · 2 km
- Polish War Cemetery, Monte Cassino · 3 km
- German War Cemetery, Cassino (Caira) · 6 km
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