Madingley American Memorial Cemetery

If you are American, you must visit the Madingley American Memorial Cemetery. Its is best to take it in at a ceremony on Veteran's Day or Memorial Day where they often have a fly by. But it is the most serene place.

This is the only cemetery in the UK dedicated to Americans who fought in WWII. There is a long wall with the names of 5,126 names of those lost in action.  There are four different statues for all the services. and this is inscribed on the top of the wall:

THE AMERICANS WHOSE NAMES HERE APPEAR
WERE PART OF THE PRICE THAT FREE MEN
FOR THE SECOND TIME IN THIS CENTURY
HAVE BEEN FORCED TO PAY TO DEFEND
HUMAN LIBERTY AND RIGHTS
ALL WHO SHALL HEREAFTER LIVE IN FREEDOM
WILL BE HERE REMINDED THAT TO THESE MEN
AND THEIR COMRADES
WE OWE A DEBT TO BE PAID
WITH GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE OF THEIR SACRIFICE
AND THE HIGH RESOLVE THAT THE CAUSE FOR WHICH THEY DIED
SHALL LIVE ETERNALLY

The Chapel is very nice as well. Inside, there is something for all religions in there. The  stain glass in the windows are of the 50 US stats listed in order of joining the Union. There is a map of the the shipping lanes during the war and bombing targets. On the outside of the chapel, there is a map of the American airfields in the UK during the war. 

There are over 3,800 Americans men and women buried in this cemetery. There are 24 graves that have not been positively identified.

If you need a reminder on why you are stationed here, this is a good one that is not to be missed. It makes me proud to have served my country.



They opened a museum to accompany this site in 2014 and it is very nicely done. Please see more of my pictures here.

All the Best!

American to Britain

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