HISTORY INFORMATION
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. The Allied advance was stalled for two successive winters: in 1943 on the German defensive position known as the Gustav Line, stretching from the river Gargliano in the west to the Sangro in the east, and in 1944 on the Gothic Line in the northern Appenine mountains. At the beginning of April 1945, the Allies launched their final offensive against the German positions spread out in a line across Italy, south of Bologna. German resistance was by now beginning to disintegrate and the Allies were able to fan out rapidly across the Po valley. Milan, already freed by Italian Partisans, was entered by the US 4th Corps on 2 May 1945, the day of the German surrender in Italy. As Milan fell to the Allies largely without a fight, the Commonwealth forces suffered few casualties. Most of the graves in Milan War Cemetery were those of prisoners-of-war or airmen and were brought in from the surrounding towns and villages - places such as Bergamo, Boves, Carpi, Cicagna, Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Turin and Val d'Isere - after the war. Milan War Cemetery contains 417 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 27 of them unidentified. There are also six war graves of other nationalities.
SURNAME
Whitaker
FORENAME
Charles Frederick
UNIT
1 Special Force SOE
RANK
Captain
NUMBER
199620
DATE OF DEATH
11th September 1944
AGE
23
GRAVESITE
Milan War Cemetery,Italy Coll.grave VI.C.5-6
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit 3 Bn Parachute Regiment
born 26.3.1921...
SURNAME
Riccomini
FORENAME
James Arthur
UNIT
2 SAS (3 Troop,B Squadron)
RANK
Lieutenant
NUMBER
137803
DATE OF DEATH
27th March 1945
AGE
27
GRAVESITE
Milan War cemetery,Italy V.A.4
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit Army Air Corps
former Royal Army Service Corps
born 1918...
SURNAME
Bruce
FORENAME
Robert
UNIT
2 SAS (3 Squadron)
RANK
Private
NUMBER
ME/13041866
DATE OF DEATH
21st April 1945
AGE
GRAVESITE
Milan War Cemetery,Italy V.A.3
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit Pioneer Corps
true name Balerdi,Justo
native of Spain
former French Foreign...
SURNAME
Bolden
FORENAME
Stanley
UNIT
2 SAS (3 Squadron)
RANK
Corporal
NUMBER
3316568
DATE OF DEATH
27th March 1945
AGE
24
GRAVESITE
Milan War Cemetery,Italy V.A.6
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit Army Air Corps
former Cameron Highlanders
born Renfrewshire
resided...
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