I have for some time tried to locate the original location of the burials of Lt HN Beadle and his three colleagues. I assume that this was the Arrow Route Cemetery. It was replaced by the current one as it was not available for purchase for perpetuity. In May 1945 in a letter to his mother his Battery Commander wrote the following: "One of the oldest members of the Battery came to me the other day with these two pictures of Bill’s grave, which he asked me to send to you. He is a handyman and he made the cross, painted it and when the wagon lines were near Florence he always saw that there were flowers on the grave and he took these photo’s when he was there one day. The cemetery is one of the prettiest battle cemeteries that I have ever seen. It is on the left of the main road as it climbs out of Florence in a valley green and grey with Cyprus and olive trees. It is not far from where Bill was killed". (the photos have not survived) Bill was killed during a recce In a narrow lane, the Via di Montughi in La Pietra, Florence, to the left of the Via Bolognese. When the Survey Jeep struck a landmine on 2nd Sept 1944. All four occupants died, they lie in Florence War Cemetery having been transferred there from Galluzzo according to the CWGC when I enquired about the Arrow Route Cemetery. However on the website they mention that a number of casualties were transferred to Florence Cemetery from the Arrow Route Cemetery but don't (or wont) give a location for it. The Arrow Route was the alternative route to the main Via Bolognese which was used exclusively by the Americans in the advance north towards Bologna. It gained its name from the various Divisional Arrow signposts used along it. Galluzzo is South of Florence on the road to Sienna. The American War Cemetery is in the area. The Jeep was blown up not far from the beginning of the Arrow Route so must be where they were originally buried. The Regiment passed the graves on its advance North to the Apennines on 4th September. Can anyone provide a location please.
Not come across the Arrow Route before but are you meaning the location on the Graves Concentration Form? This is wQ857677 on the North Italy grid which is here, 600 metres as the crow flies from Florence Cemetery 43.766548088752,11.336868422511 Google Maps Sorry if I have got it wrong.
If you look on CWGC Website Florence War Cemetery there is a mention of Arrow Route Cemetery from memory there were 83 casualties transferred from there due to the Cemetery not being available for purchase in perpetuity. Arrow Route was a well known and recorded route to Faenza used by British 1st Infantry Division who came under American Command. It therefore makes sense that they may have been transferred to Galluzzo whilst the new Florence War Cemetery was being prepared but the letter written to Noels mother is clear in that it was on the left of the road as it began to rise towards the Apennine's north of Florence and that it was not far from where he was killed. I have just checked the Concentration form but cannot recognise the location but am referring to an email from CWGC Enquiry Support Team in 2017 stating he was originally buried at Galluzzo Certosa which I assume is the location on the Concentration Form. By all means check this location but I dont think it matches the location mentioned in the letter. The road on the current Cemetery location doesn't rise to the Apennines it swings fairly flat to the right of the hill of Fiesole turning left rising up past Castle Poggio approaching Fiesole from the rear, or right to Pontassieve. I know the area quite well. From CWGC site this evening: "The site for the war cemetery was selected in November 1944 for burials from the hospitals established in and around Florence but the greater part of those buried here lost their lives in the fighting in this area from July to September 1944. After the war, 83 graves were moved into the cemetery from nearby Arrow Route Cemetery, when it proved impossible to acquire the site in perpetuity".
I see where you are with the g map. Perhaps that was the Arrow Route Cemetery They would have passed it on the way to collect ammunition from the Assisi area if they went around the back of Fiesole bypassing Florence. My location of where the landmine incident occurred is in the valley on the main road from Florence to Bologna. I have the grid ref from a number of sources and graphic descriptions of men who were there. It was a narrow walled lane. I think it was the one running down the side of the Villa La Pietra now the NYU. The mines (there were at least 2 Teller Mines) blew the Jeep over a 6ft wall. The GR appears twice once on 25th August when the N Staffs took a pasting there in the company of 67th Field Regt 446 Bty FOO team and a week later when the mine blew under the second Jeep in the Recce party. They no doubt went down the lane with confidence all was clear as their mates had been there the previous week. I checked it with a website echodelta a while ago, probably in 2017 and have a contact in Florence who used an old local map and knows the area well. If you are interested it is 797713 just in case we've dropped a clanger. I dont think they would have negotiated the bend in the lane with a Quad gun tractor, trailer and gun but went down through the gateway to check access to the park where the N Staff set up their base. Oddly enough there is a large repair noticeable on the bend and the trees (which caught fire with the explosion) are all dead and thinly spaced. I know it was 75 years ago but it certainly matches the descriptions I have apart from the new trees down the slope into the park. The valley is a good place for guns as it provides shelter from aircraft. They never went there as Mark Clarke changed the axis of advance and they took the Arrow Route on the 4th September from Settignano past the graves of their comrades on their way to Borgo San Lorenzo.
Attached paragraphs ref the incident from "A History of the 67th Field Regiment" by P.Mennell and a few lines from one of the War diary entries of which there are several by various battery diarists. It should be remembered that War Diaries are written by diarists not those actually there, they vary considerably and in the case of this incident very much so. The excerpt is from the Regimental Diary but the 446 Battery Diary has a lot to say in favour of Trevor Holbrook who was in the battery for a few months. I believe that the War Diary excerpt was written by P. Mennell who was Adjutant in RHQ at the time. A History was a compilation of documents based on the War Diaries begun by Peter Mennell in 1946 modified by several others over the years, it was used as a reference by Richard Whitfield for Eyes and Ears of the Regiment. I don't have all the copies but have access to them to read in various locations. Note: a typical error for the time, the location is miss spelt as San Pietra which exists in the form of several churches in the area and caused me much grief until the Grid Refs turned up. La Pietra is the Villa on the corner of the Via Bologna. It was bought after the war by Lord Acton now owned by NYU.
I've been dodging in and out between postings but thanks for your help in locating the Cemetery from the Concentration Report. I cant see it being on their route to the Apennines. I had expected it to be on the Arrow Route which I believe ran to the right of the Main road to Bologna today, it is the SR302 to Faenza and not far from La Pietra. It follows the exact route that the Regiment took to Faltona, Borgo San Lorenzo, Ronta and Marradi.
The 67th Field Regiment followed the Arrow Route. It appears in a number of books including Eyes and Ears of the Regiment, They took the SR302 from Florence to Borgo San Lorenzo via Faltona then followed it to Marradi going through Ronta. For three months their Ammunition wagons passed the graves where they stopped to place flowers. The main Ammo Dump was in the Arezzo area. Nowhere does anyone show the Cemetery on Arrow Route the only description I have is from Peter Mennell shown above. I would welcome any suggestions as I have studied maps and Satellite views to try to locate possible sites. The only option is the one above but it doesn't seem to fit the letters description
The CWGC hold a file in their archives on the cemetery;- Unique ID CWGC/7/4/1/RA 41278 Alt Ref No RA 41278 Title Arrow Route War Cemetery, Florence, Italy ArchNote See CEM 19763 Extent 1 file Date 15/3/1945 - 27/2/1954 MgtGroup Archive Category RA :Archive File MgtSubGroup Archive There`s also the architects summary which gives a location description The documents below deals with the Italian refusal to have the cemetery in its current location http://archive.cwgc.org/GetMultimed...ame=6e\e84a40-11b8-47b6-bea4-b4847e13df91.pdf http://archive.cwgc.org/GetMultimed...ame=b3\2b239b-cb52-4fee-a25e-77cbe2d737f0.pdf Kyle
Thanks for this information I will try to locate it from the description. I used to know Fiesole quite well but that was a long time ago. This is my last challenge regarding Lt Beadle. The study is virtually closed. I never cease to be amazed at the way information appears on this site.
Scott. Here is what I have. Arrow Route clearly marked. This is from the 1 BR Inf Div history. Regards Frank
Wonder if anyone on here has a list of those moved from the Arrow Route Cemetery? I have seen a list of those buried in the Florence Cemetery which seemed to indicate that my grandfather had been moved there from Arrow Route Cemetery, but try as I might I can't find that document again on the internet! Any help or ideas would be most appreciated.
Duplicate post here from Goose: Arrow Route cemetery - list of those moved Best keep to one thread, but I am sure someone will be along soon to help. Lesley
