Family Members in Florence War Cemetery?

Hello everyone. This is just a post to see if anyone has any relatives laid to rest in Florence War Cemetery?

In 2022, I made the journey from Kent, England to Italy on a holiday to Italy in which I took my Grandads ashes hoping that I could bury some with his Father, William Robert Donnelly (2082186 - Coldstream Guards).

Luckily after an hours drive from my campsite just outside of Pisa, I found the beautiful cemetery. 2 gentleman were present who look after the grounds. After asking their permission, they happily dug a hole by the headstone for me to bury ashes. As I buried the ashes in the ground, they stood their in silence praying. What a special moment it was.

My main reason for this thread is that the place seemed a sad and lonely, but beautiful place. I wanted to know if any of the other heroes within the cemetery had any relatives alive today, and if so, have you ever been to visit them? I like to think that they do, but realistically I know the chances are slim given the young ages of a lot of them.

I'm driving back to Italy next month and I'm hopefully going to be going back to Florence. I'd love to know if you have family there and possibly get a photo of their headstone for you. It's so beautiful.

If you have pictures, please be sure to share them.

 

56563545_0118b6c6-05f4-4df6-ad69-b7fbebd9439d by Michael Donnelly posted Jun 6, 2024 at 9:20 PM

56563545_96a32f2e-38fd-4588-885e-dc2b90573841 by Michael Donnelly posted Jun 6, 2024 at 9:20 PM

56563545_bd025330-a579-40ec-acf7-4263816aac48 by Michael Donnelly posted Jun 6, 2024 at 9:20 PM

56563545_5025c480-a988-4661-9d28-ea3ce104f1d5 by Michael Donnelly posted Jun 6, 2024 at 9:20 PM

Florence War Cemetery

 

Death Letter by Michael Donnelly posted Jun 8, 2024 at 3:29 PM

 

Not family but four men in a jeep. Two are in the same row with the other two behind.



Arrow Route Cemetery Florence Italy

All four were buried on the day they were killed in Arrow Route Cemetery.
Later moved to The American War Cemetery at Galluzzo then the British CWGC Cemetery to the east of Florence
when it opened in 1946.

Beadle 232839 II F6
Gyles 172449 II F7
Holbrook 251585 II G5
Tummey 905456 II G6


Lt HN Beadle Tunisia November 1943

 

Michael.

I am off to Cassino tomorrow to guide a battlefield study but will be back on Sat. I would be happy to have a look and see what 2 COLDM GDS were doing on 15 Aug 44. They were north of Florence but I cannot recall the detail.

Regards

Frank

 

That would be fantastic. Looking forward to hearing more information if possible

 

Will do.

 

Second Battalion Coldstream Guards in WW2 (War Diary: 1944)



15th August:

Uneventuful day. Patrols.

 

Map Aug (Advance to florence) War Diary article 7


ITALY: August 1944 - Google My Maps

 

Here is a link to the WW2 Regimental History. It’s downloadable.

The Coldstream Guards, 1920-1946, by Michael Howard and John Sparrow


You could also look to get this book via an inter library loan -

"No dishonourable name" [the 2nd and 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards 1939-1946]

I got hold of a copy of the 1972 reprint about 25 years ago. It’s a more informal narrative with a more personal perspective with chapters written by various officers and complied by DC Quilter - who died in 2007.

 

Sorry if this is a sensitive issue.

It seems he was originally buried near to where he died.
Might be a clue to where this happened.
Nothing shown in 2 CG War Diary for 15th August 1944.

If this is of interest to you it might be worth contacting CWGC if you haven't already done so.
The Grid Ref of the Cemetery on the Concentration form is the same as that on the one for Lt HN Beadle.
(Apologies if I am misreading this).

The Florence CWGC wasn't open when he was killed.
Looks like your relative was moved to Arrow Route Cemetery before CWGC Florence.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/f...2613975/william-robert-donnelly/#&gid=2&pid=1

 

2 CG in Italy

 

I’ve been in contact with 2nd CG on Facebook who gave me these deaths.


Corps and Divisional War diaries might help. Appendix E Lists 29 KG wounded in August and 5 Killed. The killed were HUDSON, WS, 2663377, 2ND BN, 03/08/1944, 3, Aug
PERROTT, RPJ, 228319, 2ND BN, 04/08/1944, 4, Aug
GLEEN, LCF, 2663049, 2ND BN, 07/08/1944, 7, Aug
HEWETT, AE, 2664103, 2ND BN, 07/08/1944, 7, Aug
JONES, H, 2662551, 2ND BN, 07/08/1944, 7, Aug
ORFORD, K, 2664353, 2ND BN, 07/08/1944, 7, Aug
RUDD, BR, 288230, 2ND BN, 07/08/1944, 7, Aug
DONNELLY, WR, 2082186, 2ND BN, 15/08/1944, 15, Aug
STIRLING, EW, 2666244, 2ND BN, 16/08/1944, 16, Aug

I’m wondering if William was wounded on the 7th and succumbed to his injuries on the 15th or if this was a separate incidents. Would KIA cover that?

 

Michael.

Quite likely but what I do not understand is why the Graves Concentration Report only has two names on it. If he had been wounded on 7 Aug 44, he would have been in the medical chain for eight days before he died. If he was in an Advanced Dressing Station or Field Hospital - which by necessity tended to be static, there would have been a lot more names from the burial location.

Regards

Frank

 

Normally if they die in the ADS they are titled "Died of Wounds".

There is one line that I have never seen before:

Other Particulars Series 1&2, no documents found on either bodies.

This to me implies that they were found by or taken to the GRU some time after they were killed. Location not recorded.
(GRU = Graves Registration Unit)

In which case we will never know how they died or where.

I take it that 7 RB = 7 Rifle Brigade perhaps their War Diary might be of assistance
if both Series 1 = 2CG and 2 = RB.

 

6th Armoured Division (United Kingdom) - Wikipedia

61st Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom) - Wikipedia.

It fought in the Liri Valley, Arezzo, the advance to Florence, on the Gothic Line and the Argenta Gap and the Spring 1945 offensive in Italy, Operation Grapeshot.

Order of battle
The 61st Infantry Brigade was constituted as follows during the war:

2nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)
7th Battalion, Rifle Brigade (London Rifle Brigade)
10th Battalion, Rifle Brigade (Tower Hamlets Rifles) (disbanded 22 March 1945)
1st Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps (from 6 March to 22 July 1945)
1st Battalion, Welch Regiment (from 29 June 1945)
2nd Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders (from 19 July 1945)
1st Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment (from 19 July 1945)

 

It would seem that the Coldstream Guards were relieved by The Rifle Brigade.

Last places mentioned in #12
San Mezzano is Castello Sammezzano closer to Florence, a large building modelled on a Moorish palace.

Google Maps