The band traveled
about 50 km south of Rome to the city of Cassino and to Montecassino where they
played at the Commonwealth Cemeteries. On the mountain overlooking the
city stands the Abbey of Montecassino. This abbey is of special importance
because it has been destroyed and rebuilt on four separate occasions. The most
recent was in 1944 near the end of W.W.II. No trip to Italy would be complete
without a visit to the Rome, the Vatican, Pompeii, and some wonderful vineyards
and restaurants.
To see more
photos from the trip, please scroll down.
Click on a photo to view it full size then hit the Back button to
return to this page. Scroll down for more photos and short
description of each.
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Cemetery at Cassino
contains the graves of hundreds of Canadians,
most of whom fell in the valley of the River Liri during the Allied attempts
in the first half of 1944 to breach the Adolf Hitler Line and advance to
Rome. |
Abbey of Montecassino was founded by St.
Benedict about 529 A.D. on the remnants of a pre-existing Roman
fortification of the Municipum Casinum. |
Inside the Abbey |
Playing at the Cassino War Cemetery with the
Abbey of Montecassino in the background |
In the centre of the beautifully
landscaped cemetery is a lovely pool surrounded by a mosaic tiled walkway.
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Band member paying respect to the Canadian
soldiers |
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Commonwealth gravesite at Cassino |
Cassino Memorial, unveiled in 1956, which
commemorates the more than 4,000 Commonwealth war dead of the Sicilian and
Italian campaigns who have no known grave. The names of 192 Canadians are
inscribed on its 15-foot high slabs of green marble. |
More than 1000 Polish soldiers are buried in
the War Cemetery located on mount Cairo across from the abbey. The men
buried here lost their lives in the battle preceding the liberation of the
Montecassino Abbey, which took place on May 18, 1944. |
After a battle that lasted seven days, the
Polish soldiers overtook the German army. 860 Polish soldiers died and 2800
were wounded in that fierce battle. |
Piper Ted Soltys, being of Polish heritage,
and having
had an uncle who fought with the II Polish Corps here played the tune
"Heights of Cassino" in honour of all who fought here. |
The
beautiful beaches of the Adriatic Sea in Termoli, just south or Ortona |
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Plaque on the tank in Ortona |
Tank in Ortona - from the 12th Canadian
Armoured Regiment |
Pipe
Sgt. Perry having the honour of carrying the LER banner |
Playing Corso Vittorio Emanuel II in Ortona |
It
is a great honor that the Pipes & Drums of the Edmonton Police Service are
authorized to wear the Loyal Edmonton Regiment badge and carry their banner |
Playing on the main route in Ortona where the LER's
fought in 1943 |
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Playing in the streets of Ortona where Canadian soldiers
marched in WWII |
Monument "Price of Peace" in Ortona that was
donated by the people of Canada in 1999 |
Band with Ortona resident Francesca who was a
teenager who helped Canadian soldiers in 1943 |
Playing at the Canadian cemetery in Ortona |
Playing at the Canadian cemetery in Ortona |
Bullet holes still showing 65 years later |
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Entertaining the patrons at the restaurant |
Sgt. Perry with the owner of the restaurant |
Enjoying a great meal in Ortona |
Teatro Vittoria opera house in Ortona |
Performing infront of the opera house in
Ortona |
Casa Berardi in Ortona where Capt. Paul Triquet
of the Royal 22nd Regiment won the Victoria Cross - Bullet still visible |
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Casa Berardi Castle |
Dinner at the Dora Sanchese Winery in Ortona |
Ret. D/Chief Bradshaw making a presentation to
the Deputy Mayor of Ortona |
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Breakfast in Rome |
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Breakfast in Rome with our tour guide, Marie
Angela |
Pope Benedict XVI |
Trevi Fountain in Rome |
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