Commonwealth War Cemetery · World War I · Asiago Plateau, Veneto

Granezza British Cemetery

Granezza British Cemetery is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery on the Asiago Plateau in the Province of Vicenza, Veneto, containing the graves of British and Commonwealth soldiers who died on the Alpine Front during the First World War. Situated at high altitude in the wooded highlands above the town of Asiago, the cemetery is one of several CWGC sites maintained on the plateau where some of the fiercest fighting on the Italian theatre of WWI took place.

At a glance

Type: Commonwealth War Graves Commission military cemetery
Period: Established during and after the First World War (1917–1919)
Style: CWGC standard design: uniform Portland stone headstones, Cross of Sacrifice
Location: Granezza, Asiago Plateau, Province of Vicenza, Veneto, Italy
Coordinates: 45.8085° N, 11.5319° E

Overview

Granezza British Cemetery lies in the forested uplands of the Asiago Plateau, a theatre of sustained combat between Italian, Austro-Hungarian and British forces from 1916 to 1918. The cemetery is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, the intergovernmental body founded by Sir Fabian Ware in 1917 to record and care for the graves of Commonwealth service members who died in both world wars. Like all CWGC cemeteries, it provides each commemorated individual with an identical headstone regardless of rank, embodying the principle of equality in death.

History

British forces were deployed to the Italian Front in late 1917 following the disaster at Caporetto, reinforcing Italian lines along the Piave River and the Asiago Plateau. Fierce fighting on the plateau in 1917 and 1918 — including the Austrian Strafexpedition and the Battle of the Solstice — resulted in significant British casualties. Field burial grounds were established close to the front lines, and after the Armistice in November 1918 the Imperial War Graves Commission concentrated scattered graves into permanent cemeteries such as Granezza. The cemetery was formally registered and landscaped in the early 1920s.

What you see

The cemetery presents the characteristic CWGC layout: rows of white Portland stone headstones engraved with regimental badges, names, ranks and dates of death, set in a meticulously maintained lawn. A Cross of Sacrifice stands at the head of the burial ground, and a Stone of Remembrance bears Rudyard Kipling’s inscription “Their Name Liveth For Evermore.” The surrounding landscape of beech and pine forest, with views across the plateau, gives the site a remote, contemplative character distinct from lowland CWGC cemeteries.

Cultural significance

The Asiago Plateau cemeteries collectively stand as testament to the often-overlooked Italian Front of the First World War, where British, Australian and New Zealand troops fought alongside Italian forces in alpine conditions. Granezza is part of a wider constellation of CWGC sites on the plateau that together commemorate thousands of Commonwealth casualties and draw visitors engaged in war pilgrimage and heritage tourism. The CWGC’s meticulous stewardship ensures these sites remain dignified places of memory more than a century after the conflict ended.

Practical information

The cemetery is open to visitors at all times and admission is free. It is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Visitor registers and casualty records can be searched via the CWGC website (cwgc.org). The nearest town with accommodation and services is Asiago, approximately 8 km to the south-east.

Getting there

From Asiago town centre, follow the SP349 north-west towards Granezza; the cemetery is signposted along the plateau road. By public transport, take the bus from Bassano del Grappa to Asiago (Ferrovia Trento-Vicenza service), then taxi or hire car for the final stretch. The nearest train station with regional connections is Bassano del Grappa, approximately 30 km south.

Sources & resources

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