Italy Campaign veterans attend service in Staffordshire
Veterans from the Second World War, who fought in the Italy campaign, attended a ceremony at the National Memorial Arboretum, to mark the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Monte Cassino.
Hundreds of service personnel past and present descended on Alrewas in Staffordshire for the event on Saturday, including veterans from the county, Black Country and beyond.
This year The Royal British Legion is asking the nation to 'Remember Together', to remember the service and sacrifice of both British service personnel and their families and those of the Commonwealth and Allied nations who stood side by side with Britain.
At Monte Cassino armed forces from six continents fought side by side.
It was through collective efforts that a battle known as the “Stalingrad of the West” was won and opened the way to liberate Rome.
The Italy campaign proved to be a major turning point in the Second World War and one of the hardest fought but has become known as the ‘Forgotten Campaign’ considering the increased attention given to the Normandy Campaign both during and after the conflict.
Bryan Woolnough, Signals Wire Operator No. 2 Commando and Monte Cassino Veteran, said: "We read that we were the ‘D Day Dodgers’ and felt that the public had little interest in our casualties or any idea the challenges we were facing.
"We in Italy were the forgotten warriors, with the latest and best equipment held for Northern Europe. As we crossed rivers, under fire, in flimsy canvas Goatley Boats, our brothers in Normandy had bullet proof amphibious-tank like craft.”
