Caserta War Cemetery

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. Allied objectives were to draw German troops from the Russian front and more particularly from France, where an offensive was planned for the following year. The Royal Palace at Caserta served as headquarters for the Allied armies in Italy for the greater part of the duration of the Italian campaign and the 2^nd General Hospital was at Caserta from December 1943 until September 1945. Some of those buried here died in the hospital, others as prisoners of war (there was a POW Hospital at Caserta) before the Allied invasion. There are also a few burials from the October 1943 fighting on the River Volturno, which lies not far away to the north. Caserta War Cemetery contains 768 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War.

Directions

Take the autostrada A1 (Roma to Napoli), and leave it at the Caserta Nord exit. Proceed to the first set of traffic lights and then turn left and continue along the main street eastward for about 1.8 kilometres; just prior to an Army barracks and well before the Royal Palace (Palazzo Reale) there is a small left turn. Turn left here and proceed to the T-junction at the end. Here turn right and continue along, under the bridge to the main crossroads. This is the first occasion you will see a CWGC signpost; turn left and carry on for a short distance to the large roundabout at the end of the road. There will be a large Communal Cemetery located on the far side; turn right into the obvious car park. The CWGC plot will be found at the far end of the cemetery. Cars should be parked within the Communal Cemetery grounds for security reasons.