Battle of Monte Cassino remembered by RBL in St Ives

The 80th anniversary of the battle of Monte Cassino was commemorated in St Ives on Saturday.

The mayor of St Ives, councillor Philip Pope, town councillors, and members of the public joined with the St Ives' branch of the Royal British Legion on May 18 to remember the sacrifice of those who took part.

The mayor of St Ives, councillor Philip Pope at the event. (Image: Alan Scott)

The battle of Monte Cassino lasted from January to May 1944 during the Italian campaign of World War Two.

The Italian campaign saw some of the fiercest fighting of the European war and the battle of Monte Cassino saw some of the fiercest fighting of all with American, British, Canadian, Free French, Indian, Italian, New Zealand, Polish, and South African troops fighting to dislodge well-armed, well trained, and well entrenched German troops from the summit of the mountain and the surrounding hills.

The Royal British Legion paid its respects on Saturday. (Image: Alan Scott)

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The ultimate victory cost 55,000 allied casualties and around 20.000 German casualties. Some 2,000 Italian civilians were killed or injured in the fighting.

The allied victory opened the road north and the Italian capital, Rome was liberated on June 4, 1944, just two days before the D-Day invasion of Normandy.

Relatives of some of those who died were at the ceremony. (Image: Alan Scott)

Among those attending Saturday’s commemoration were Chris Synowiec and Danusia Wheeler, whose father fought with the Polish army at Monte Cassino and Mike Robinson of St Ives whose father fought with the British army in the Italian campaign.

Wreaths were laid at the town's War Memorial. (Image: Alan Scott)