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Resting Among Friends: The Cambridge American Cemetery and the Friendly Invasion
Paperback
Series: Everything World War 2 - WWII, Book 21
Publisher: Independently Published
Published: Sep 7 2025
Pages: 82
Weight: 0.47
Height: 0.17 Width: 8.50 Depth: 11.00
Language: English
In the quiet Cambridgeshire countryside, between the villages of Coton and Madingley, lies a place where history and memory meet. The Cambridge American Cemetery, with its sweeping lawns, shining headstones, and solemn Wall of the Missing, is the only permanent American World War II cemetery in the United Kingdom. Nearly 4,000 servicemen and women rest here, and over 5,100 more are inscribed on the wall, their remains lost at sea or over enemy territory. Together, they embody the story of the friendly invasion - the arrival of nearly two million Americans who passed through Britain during the war.
Resting Among Friends explores the story behind this extraordinary place. It begins before the war, when Madingley parish was simply farmland and woodland overlooking the Fens. It then traces the arrival of American forces: airmen stationed across East Anglia, sailors battling the Atlantic, engineers building runways, Red Cross volunteers tending to weary crews. Their presence transformed local life, creating friendships, romances, and cultural exchanges that endure in memory to this day.
The book reveals how the idea of a permanent resting place arose from wartime necessity. A temporary cemetery opened on 7 December 1943 - the second anniversary of Pearl Harbor - and by 1945 held more than 5,000 graves. Families were later given the choice of repatriating remains or leaving them overseas, and many chose Cambridge. In 1947, the American Battle Monuments Commission selected the site for permanent commemoration. The University of Cambridge gifted 30.5 acres in perpetuity - a remarkable gesture of gratitude and partnership.
From farm to monument, the transformation was profound. Designed by the Boston firm Perry, Shaw, Hepburn & Dean with landscape architects the Olmsted Brothers, the cemetery balances grandeur with intimacy. A Great Mall stretches from the flagpole to the chapel, while curved rows of white crosses and Stars of David mirror the sweep of the hill. Portland stone, mosaic ceilings, battle maps, and sculptures by Wheeler Williams evoke sacrifice and service. The Wall of the Missing, the longest of any ABMC World War II cemetery in Europe, bears names from every U.S. state - including the musician Glenn Miller, Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., and Medal of Honor recipient Leon Vance Jr.
But the true story of the cemetery lies in the lives represented. Most were young airmen who flew daylight missions in B-17s and B-24s, facing flak and fighters over occupied Europe. Others were sailors lost to U-boats in the Atlantic, soldiers who died in North Africa and Normandy, or civilians like Hugh Foster, a Red Cross worker buried alongside them. Some graves are marked Unknown, a stark reminder of war's chaos. Collectively, they tell a story of courage, sacrifice, and the price of victory.
Since its dedication in 1956 - attended by Queen Elizabeth II - the cemetery has become a place of ritual and reflection. Each Memorial Day, flags and wreaths honour the fallen, bugles sound across the lawns, and British and American voices join in remembrance. In 2014, a visitor centre was added, offering interactive exhibits on the air war, the Battle of the Atlantic, and the personal stories of those commemorated. Today, the site attracts tens of thousands of visitors annually: American families tracing relatives, British schoolchildren learning history, and tourists moved by the serene beauty and symbolic power of the grounds.
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