American Cemetery War Memorial - Madingley Road, Coton, Cambridge, UK - Smithsonian Art Inventory Sculptures on Waymarking.com

The American Cemetery War Memorial is an awe-inspiring white wall depicting the names of the American soldiers who died in the First and Second World War. The cemetery is full of white crosses marking the graves of fallen soldiers.

Wikipedia describes the site:
'A cemetery and chapel dedicated to American servicemen opened in 1956, on the southern edge of the village beside the road from Cambridge to St Neots. The 30½ acres were donated by the University of Cambridge.

3812 American military dead are buried in the cemetery. In addition, the names of 5127 are inscribed on the Wall of the Missing, Americans who lost their lives but whose remains were never recovered or identified. Most of these died in the Battle of the Atlantic (1939-1945) or in the strategic air bombardment of Northwest Europe during World War II.'

The wall includes four soldier statues. The Smithsonian website describes two: '(At foot of one soldier:) EXECUTED BY VARLECCHI/FLORENCE (At foot of another soldier:) WHEELER WILLIAMS/SCULPTOR/1959 signed Founder's mark appears.'

Also described: 'Three pools surrounded by flowers lead to a mausoleum. To one side is a wall with four figures, these figures represent the following: the man with the wheel is Navy; the man with the machine gun represents the Air Force; and the man with the ammunition represents the Coast Guard; the man with the rifle represents the Army.'

The cool pools are edged with box hedging and the grass and stonework is kept immaculate. There was a staff member polishing the crosses when we visited.

There is a Memorial Building in the cemetery on the eastern edge of the site. It has various inscriptions including a map of Great Britain:

'TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND
IN MEMORY OF THOSE
WHO DIED FOR THEIR COUNTRY
1941-1945'

'IN GRATEFUL TRIBUTE TO THEIR SACRIFICE AND
IN PROUD MEMORY OF THEIR VALOR'

'THESE AND MANY OTHER SITES WERE LENT BY
THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED KINGDOM
TO THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
IN ORDER THAT THEY MIGHT PREPARE AND SUPPORT
THEIR GREAT MILITARY ASSAULTS
1941-1945'

The inscription on the wall reads:
'THE AMERICANS WHOSE NAMES HERE APPEAR
WERE PART OF THE PRICE THAT FREE MEN
FOR THE SECOND TIME IN THIS CENTUARY
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 REMEMBERANCE OF THEIR SACRIFICE
AND THE HIGH RESOLVE THAT THE CAUSE FOR WHICH THEY DIED
SHALL LIVE ETERNALLY'

TITLE: American Cemetery War Memorial, (sculpture). ARTIST(S): Williams, Wheeler, 1897-1972, sculptor. Varlecchi, founder. DATE: 1959 MEDIUM: Portland Stone CONTROL NUMBER: IAS 9C440005 Direct Link to the Individual Listing in the Smithsonian Art Inventory: [Web Link] PHYSICAL LOCATION: Cambridge American Cemetery Madingley Road Coton Cambridge CB3 7PH United Kingdom DIFFERENCES NOTED BETWEEN THE INVENTORY LISTING AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH: None that we can find.

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