Liri Valley WWII Tour

Monte Cassino & the Liri Valley WWII Tour

This tour can be customized based on your requests and tailored to follow the path of specific British divisions. After the breakthrough of the Gustav Line in May 1944, the Allied advance continued through the Liri Valley. While Canadian forces led the main offensive, British divisions played a crucial supporting role through artillery coordination and infantry advances. The British 78th Infantry Division and the Guards Brigade advanced alongside the Canadians, pushing through the valley towards Arce, Monte Grande, and Fontana Liri.

The terrain of the Liri Valley, with its rivers and surrounding hills, posed engineering and tactical challenges. British engineers constructed multiple Bailey bridges across the Gari River—including the famous Amazon Bridge—to facilitate rapid troop movement and support the advance through the valley. This tour follows the steps of the British units through this critical phase, showcasing the key locations, river crossings, farms, and commemorative sites along the route to Rome.

Tour Highlights

  • Abbey of Monte Cassino – Visit the rebuilt abbey and learn about its strategic significance and destruction during the campaign.
  • Commonwealth War Cemetery – Pay tribute to the fallen soldiers who rest in this beautifully maintained site in Cassino.
  • Crossing Sites on the Gari River – Discover the original locations of Bailey bridges built by British engineers, including the Amazon Bridge site.
  • Monte Grande & Monte Piccolo – Learn about the uphill battles fought by the Guards Brigade and the 78th Division.
  • Arce & Fontana Liri – Visit the towns liberated by British units during their push through the valley.
  • Key Objectives – Farm Areas – Explore important battlefield targets such as Panaccioni Farm, Varlese Farm, and Petrarcone Farm, where bullet holes are still visible in the stonework.
  • Memorials & Plaques – Commemorative markers to British regiments that fought and fell in the Liri Valley.
  • Video Presentation – Watch archival footage and before/after images onboard, offering an immersive historical context.

Bailey Bridges and the Amazon Bridge

To support the Allied push through the Liri Valley and beyond the Gustav Line, the Royal Engineers built several Bailey bridges across the Gari River. These modular steel bridges enabled tanks, artillery, and supplies to cross previously impassable terrain due to destroyed infrastructure and German demolitions.

The Amazon Bridge, constructed soon after the breakthrough, became a symbol of British ingenuity and was essential for the movement of infantry and vehicles across the Gari. Though the bridge no longer stands, its location is marked near the river junction, with interpretive plaques and preserved remnants.

Other Bailey bridges were constructed near San Giorgio, Pontecorvo, and close to Aquino. Each bridge was crossed by British units such as the Irish Guards, Royal Fusiliers, and engineers from the Royal Engineers. Their construction was vital in maintaining the momentum of the British advance and ensuring coordinated logistics and artillery support.

The Advance of the Irish Guards

As part of the Guards Brigade, the Irish Guards advanced across the Amazon Bridge and engaged German forces in and around Sinagoga, Aquino, and the Liri Valley basin. Their progress was essential in securing the right flank of the Allied front and maintaining pressure on retreating German units.

These movements were coordinated with artillery and engineering units to maintain speed and efficiency. Several plaques commemorate the Irish Guards' actions, especially in the Sinagoga sector.

British Units Involved

  • 78th Infantry Division (Battle Axe Division)
    • 11th Brigade – Royal Fusiliers, Lancashire Fusiliers
    • 36th Brigade – East Surrey Regiment, Royal West Kents
    • 38th (Irish) Brigade – Royal Irish Fusiliers, London Irish Rifles
  • Guards Brigade – Coldstream Guards, Scots Guards, Grenadier Guards, Irish Guards
  • Support Units – Royal Engineers (Bailey & Amazon Bridge), Royal Artillery (fire support for Canadian Corps)

Tour Details

  • Duration – Full-day (approx. 6 hours)
  • Language – English
  • Transportation – Air-conditioned vehicle
  • Refreshments – Chilled water and snacks provided onboard
  • Multimedia – Wartime videos and photo comparisons shown on screen during the tour

Contact & Booking

BOOK THIS TOUR
Contact Dr. Danila Bracaglia to reserve your private WWII battlefield tour.

Email: danila.bracaglia@gmail.com
WhatsApp: +39 338 2458831