Four statues–a Soldier, Airman, Coast Guardsman, and Sailor–guard the Tablets of the Missing at Cambridge American Cemetery in the United Kingdom. The names of 5,127 Missing Soldiers are inscribed on the 427-foot long Portland stone wall located within the cemetery. Twenty-four unknown soldiers are among those buried at the cemetery.
Cambridge American Cemetery, located among the gently rolling hills of the English countryside in the United Kingdom, is the final resting place for 3,812 soldiers, airmen and sailors that were killed across Europe during World War II. Each year, a special ceremony is held on Memorial Day to honor these brave soldiers who gave their lives for the cause of freedom and liberty.
As one walks the hallowed ground of the cemetery, the sweeping curve of the hundreds of headstones is breathtaking. Residing in the villages of Coton and Madingley in Cambridgeshire, the Cambridge American Cemetery is the only World War II American military cemetery in the United Kingdom. The University of Cambridge, located just three miles from the cemetery, donated the site and the British government authorized use of its land in perpetuity.
The American Battle Monuments Commission operates and maintains 24 American cemeteries in 15 countries around the world.
The final resting place for 3,812 Soldiers, Airmen, and Sailors that were killed during World War II, Cambridge American Cemetery, located 60 miles north of London, includes a Memorial and Chapel. Located in the picturesque central England countryside, the 30-acre cemetery is the only World War II American military cemetery in the United Kingdom. Among those buried here are big-band leader Glenn Miller and Joseph P. Kennedy, the brother of President John F. Kennedy. Inscribed atop the cemetery’s Memorial: “Grant unto them O Lord eternal rest.”
Story and photo produced by Scott Kent, scott.kent@hg.com
Scott Kent, a native Mississippian and Ole Miss graduate, lives in Atlanta where he works for IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), the world’s largest hotel company. He majored in journalism and business while at Ole Miss and later earned a master’s degree in journalism administration from the University of Memphis. During his career in the hospitality industry, he’s helped launch many of IHG’s newest hotel brands, including Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn Express, and Hotel Indigo. In addition to traveling across all 50 states, he has worked in more than 50 countries.
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