Magnaboschi British War Cemetery
Magnaboschi British War Cemetery is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery on the Asiago plateau in the Province of Vicenza, Veneto. It commemorates British and Commonwealth soldiers who fell on the Italian Front during World War I, in one of the most strategically contested highland sectors of the Alpine Front. The cemetery is maintained in perpetuity by the CWGC and stands amid the forested upland known as Magnaboschi — “great woods” — where fierce fighting took place between 1916 and 1918.
At a glance
- Type
- Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery
- Period
- World War I (burials 1917–1918); cemetery established post-war
- Style
- CWGC standard: Portland stone headstones, Cross of Sacrifice, register shelter
- Location
- Asiago plateau, Province of Vicenza, Veneto, Italy
- Coordinates
- 45.8250° N, 11.4611° E
Overview
Magnaboschi British War Cemetery lies on the Asiago plateau, a high tableland approximately 60 km north of Vicenza that became one of the most bitterly contested sectors of Italy’s Alpine Front in the First World War. The cemetery is administered by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, the body established by Royal Charter in 1917 to care for the graves of service personnel from Britain and its dominions. It forms part of a cluster of CWGC cemeteries concentrated around Asiago town, reflecting the sustained British military presence on the plateau from 1917 onwards.
History
The Asiago plateau witnessed some of the most destructive fighting on the Italian Front. Austrian forces launched the Strafexpedition offensive here in May 1916, capturing large areas of the plateau before an Italian counteroffensive halted the advance. British and Commonwealth units arrived in Italy in late 1917 following the Caporetto disaster, reinforcing the Italian line. The Magnaboschi sector — named for the dense woodland that covered much of the fighting ground — saw sustained combat through 1918, including the Austrian final offensive of June 1918 (the Battle of the Piave) and the Allied advance that closed the war in November 1918. Casualties from these operations were concentrated into organised cemeteries by the CWGC after the armistice.
What you see
The cemetery follows the standard CWGC design: uniform Portland stone headstones arranged in precise rows, each engraved with the soldier’s name, rank, regiment, date of death, and a religious symbol or personal inscription. A Cross of Sacrifice — the tall stone cross with a bronze sword that marks every CWGC site — stands at the focal point of the enclosure. A register shelter near the entrance holds the cemetery register and visitor’s book. The surrounding landscape of mixed beech and pine forest — the Magnaboschi — frames the site and offers a strong sense of the terrain over which the fighting took place.
Cultural significance
The Italian Front cemeteries on the Asiago plateau are among the least-visited CWGC sites in Europe, yet they document the sacrifice of British and Commonwealth forces in a theatre often overshadowed by the Western Front. Magnaboschi British War Cemetery is a recognised site of memory in the Vicenza provincial heritage network and draws pilgrimage visits from families of the fallen, military historians, and walkers following the Great War itineraries of the Altopiano. The CWGC’s commitment to equality in commemoration — every headstone identical regardless of rank — makes these sites powerful statements of collective remembrance.
Practical information
- Address
- Magnaboschi area, Asiago plateau, Province of Vicenza, Veneto
- Access
- Open at all times; no admission charge
- Facilities
- Cemetery register shelter; no visitor centre on site
- Contact
- Commonwealth War Graves Commission — cwgc.org
Getting there
The Asiago plateau is reached from Vicenza or Thiene by the SS349 road climbing to the plateau. From Asiago town, local roads lead into the Magnaboschi woodland; the cemetery is signposted along the Great War itinerary routes. The nearest town with accommodation is Asiago (approximately 5 km). No public bus serves the cemetery directly; a car or bicycle is required for the final approach. GPS coordinates: 45.8250° N, 11.4611° E.
Sources & resources
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