Syracuse War Cemetery, Sicily
- Country Italy
- Total identified casualties 929 Find these casualties
- Identified casualties from First & Second World War
- GPS Coordinates Latitude: 37.0747, Longitude: 15.25795
Please note:
We are currently undertaking maintenance work in this site, including work on the entrance, pavilion, Cross of Sacrifice and seating. This work is scheduled for completion by the end of 2024. The cemetery will remain open, although the register box will be moved to a temporary position near the entrance.
SHARE STORIES OF THE ITALIAN CAMPAIGN
If you'd like to know more about who we commemorate, visit For Evermore: Stories of the Fallen, the CWGC online commemorative resource. Here you can read and share the fascinating stories from some of the people who took part in the Italian Campaign.
Location information
Syracuse War Cemetery is located in the Contrada of Canalicchio in the Commune and Province of Syracuse. It lies 3 kilometres west of Syracuse. Turn left at the end of the Catania to Syracuse autostrada and the cemetery will be found approximately 5 kilometres along on the left hand side. Cemetery address: Via Per Floridia, 10 Contrada Canalicchio - 96100 Syracuse (SR) Sicily. GPS Co-ordinates: Latitude: 37.074765, Longitude: 15.257977.
Visiting information
The cemetery is permanently open and may be visited anytime.
Wheelchair access to this site is possible via an alternative entrance.
For further information and enquiries please contact enquiries@cwgc.org
History information
On 10 July 1943, following the successful conclusion of the north African campaign in mid May, a combined allied force of 160,000 Commonwealth and American troops invaded Sicily as a prelude to the assault on mainland Italy. 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.
Syracuse War Cemetery contains 1,059 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 134 of them unidentified. There is also one First World war burial, that of a merchant seaman whose grave was brought to the cemetery from Marsala British Cemetery.