FRIENDS OF ORVIETO WAR CEMETERY
Who are we?
We are a small number of people associated with the Anglican Church in Umbria who every year on Remembrance Sunday hold a short memorial service in Orvieto War Cemetery and lay a wreath to the fallen. There is a roll call of those soldiers killed in one of the actions, usually, though not always, the liberation of Città della Pieve. Afterwards we walk along the rows and read the ages, ranks and units of the 188 young men who lost their lives in the second half of June 1944. In November 1999 Janet Kinrade Dethick, a retired Senior Lecturer in Human Studies living in Italy who researches and writes about the Second World War in north-west Umbria and south-eastern Tuscany, paid her first visit to the cemetery and was instrumental in organising the first Remembrance Day ceremony in 2000.
Who were these young soldiers whose graves we visit?
In the cemetery record book we can find out the names of their parents and wives, where they came from and the date on which they died. Only two graves belong to unknown soldiers.
Where and in what action did they fall?
The answer to this question can be found through research into the story of the Second World War in Italy. Whilst General Mark Clark Commander-in-Chief of the American Fifth Army was holding his press conference on the steps of the Campidoglio in Rome, the troops under the command of the British Eighth Army were pursuing the retreating Germans to the north of the city. 78 British Infantry ‘Battleaxe’ Division was given the task of following the line of the Rome-Florence railway to Orvieto and thence to Lake Trasimeno. Available sources indicate that the major actions in which 78 Division was involved were
So, by putting together the date of a soldier's death and looking at his unit's actions it is often possible to come up with the answer to the above question.
What research along these lines has been done so far?
Here is just one example of what has been pieced together about an individual soldier:
Lance Sergeant William Fredrick Bovaird aged 27, of Belfast no. 6978669 Royal Irish Fusiliers
Local research has established that in Sant'Arcangelo on the southern shore of Lake Trasimeno a group of young boys witnessed the last skirmish between the defending Germans and a platoon of Allied soldiers. One of the soldiers was killed and another was wounded. 1 Royal Irish Fusiliers' War Diary records that they were the first unit to reach Lake Trasimeno, on 19 June 1944. Here is part of the entry for that date:
1530 hours. Patrol sent to village at 508891 where enemy are reported to be. A short clash took place in which Sgt. Bovaird was killed and L/Cpl Brown wounded. 1 prisoner was captured from 4 Parachute Regt.
By consulting a copy of the map in use at the time it has been possible to confirm that the village referred to was Sant'Arcangelo. The person who witnessed the scene indicated where the action had taken place and a photograph was taken.
What service can the Friends of Orvieto Cemetery offer to relatives and friends?
We can
We can also
Who are we?
We are a small number of people associated with the Anglican Church in Umbria who every year on Remembrance Sunday hold a short memorial service in Orvieto War Cemetery and lay a wreath to the fallen. There is a roll call of those soldiers killed in one of the actions, usually, though not always, the liberation of Città della Pieve. Afterwards we walk along the rows and read the ages, ranks and units of the 188 young men who lost their lives in the second half of June 1944. In November 1999 Janet Kinrade Dethick, a retired Senior Lecturer in Human Studies living in Italy who researches and writes about the Second World War in north-west Umbria and south-eastern Tuscany, paid her first visit to the cemetery and was instrumental in organising the first Remembrance Day ceremony in 2000.
Who were these young soldiers whose graves we visit?
In the cemetery record book we can find out the names of their parents and wives, where they came from and the date on which they died. Only two graves belong to unknown soldiers.
Where and in what action did they fall?
The answer to this question can be found through research into the story of the Second World War in Italy. Whilst General Mark Clark Commander-in-Chief of the American Fifth Army was holding his press conference on the steps of the Campidoglio in Rome, the troops under the command of the British Eighth Army were pursuing the retreating Germans to the north of the city. 78 British Infantry ‘Battleaxe’ Division was given the task of following the line of the Rome-Florence railway to Orvieto and thence to Lake Trasimeno. Available sources indicate that the major actions in which 78 Division was involved were
- at Montegabbione on 16 June
- at Città della Pieve on 17 June
- at Villastrada on 19-20 June
- at Sanfatucchio and Pucciarelli on 21-22 June
- at Pescia and Ranciano on 24 June
- in the advance to Castiglione del Lago 26-28 June
- in the advance to the River Spina 29 June-1 July
So, by putting together the date of a soldier's death and looking at his unit's actions it is often possible to come up with the answer to the above question.
What research along these lines has been done so far?
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission's cemetery register has been re-arranged into date order (See The Fallen)
- The major histories of 78 Division and/or the War Diary for each of the regiments involved have been consulted. It has been possible to specify the area in which each man was killed and sometimes even the exact action. Generally speaking, if his rank was that of sergeant or above the circumstances of death are documented, though is has to be said that there is a great variation in the detail between one War Diary and another. For the private soldier, if his company is known it is sometimes possible to arrive at the action in which he lost his life
- Local people have been interviewed, who on occasion were able to supply detailed information about the circumstances of an individual's death
Here is just one example of what has been pieced together about an individual soldier:
Lance Sergeant William Fredrick Bovaird aged 27, of Belfast no. 6978669 Royal Irish Fusiliers
Local research has established that in Sant'Arcangelo on the southern shore of Lake Trasimeno a group of young boys witnessed the last skirmish between the defending Germans and a platoon of Allied soldiers. One of the soldiers was killed and another was wounded. 1 Royal Irish Fusiliers' War Diary records that they were the first unit to reach Lake Trasimeno, on 19 June 1944. Here is part of the entry for that date:
1530 hours. Patrol sent to village at 508891 where enemy are reported to be. A short clash took place in which Sgt. Bovaird was killed and L/Cpl Brown wounded. 1 prisoner was captured from 4 Parachute Regt.
By consulting a copy of the map in use at the time it has been possible to confirm that the village referred to was Sant'Arcangelo. The person who witnessed the scene indicated where the action had taken place and a photograph was taken.
What service can the Friends of Orvieto Cemetery offer to relatives and friends?
We can
- lay a wreath for an individual on Remembrance Day
- include the soldier's name in the prayers and/or in the Roll Call during the memorial service
- search the relevant war diary and other documents to establish the circumstances in which he died
- take photographs
- make local enquiries
We can also
- adopt a grave
- offer a personal battlefield tour
- help make contact with others whose relatives died in the same action
- contact the local press to make sure that those who died to liberate Italy are not forgotten
- raise awareness in the local schools and in the local community
