| Syracuse | |
|---|---|
| Commonwealth War Graves Commission | |
 | |
 | |
| Used for those deceased 1943 | |
| Established | 1943 |
| Location | 37°04′30″N15°15′29″E / 37.0751°N 15.2580°E /37.0751; 15.2580 near |
| Total burials | 1,059 |
Unknowns | 126 |
| Burials by nation | |
| Burials by war | |
World War I: 1World War II: 1,058 | |
| Statistics source:CWGC:: Cemetery Details | |
Syracuse War Cemetery is aCommonwealth War Graves Commission burial ground for the dead ofWorld War II located nearSyracuse on the island ofSicily.
The site of the cemetery was selected in 1943 at an early stage in the operations for the capture of Sicily. In this cemetery most of the graves are those of men who lost their lives in the landings in Sicily on 9/10 July 1943, as part of the early stages of the campaign to capture the island (Operation Husky).
Via Per Floridia, 10 Contrada Canalicchio - 96100 Syracuse (SR) Sicily. GPS Co-ordinates: Latitude: 37.074765, Longitude: 15.257977.
They include those of a considerable number who belonged to the airborne force that was landed immediately west of the town during the night 9–10 July. Graves were brought into Syracuse War Cemetery from as far north asLentini. There is one grave for a casualty from World War I, a merchant seaman who was originally buried in the Marsala British Cemetery. In addition, three special memorials commemorate men known to have been originally buried in other cemeteries in the region, but whose graves could not be found on concentration.
The Italians, who would shortly make peace with the Allies and re-enter the war on their side, offered little determined resistance but German opposition was vigorous and stubborn. The campaign in Sicily came to an end on 17 August when the two allied forces came together at Messina, but failed to cut off the retreating Axis lines.
Commonwealth forces made their landings in the south-east corner of the island between Pachino and Syracuse, and the majority of those buried in Syracuse War Cemetery died during those landings or in the early stages of the campaign. Many graves belong to men of the airborne force that attempted landings west of the town on the night of 9-10 July, when gale force winds forced 60 of the 140 gliders used into the sea and blew others wide of their objectives.[1]
