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| The Anzio Beachhead Museum was
inaugurated on January 22nd. l994, the 50th. Anniversary of the Allied landings. It is
housed in one of the ground floor rooms of the splendid 17th. century Villa Adele only two
minutes walk from the Anzio rail- road station and five minutes from the center of the
town. The voluntary and non-profit making "Anzio Beachhead Research and Documentation Center" is divided into four sectors: American, British & Dominion, German & Italian. The exhibits include uniforms, equipment badges & shoulder and flashes (although the latter were not worn in the battle zone) decorations, document, battle plans & maps, photographs of the Beachhead of troops, as well as of veterans as they then were, brief personal histories, articles used by troops in their everyday life. All absolutely authentic. A library and collections of photos, video cassettes, press cuttings, magazines, propaganda posters and leaflets, prints concerning those times, flags & ensigns, two motorcycles (GB&D) and many other items complete the considerable number of exhibits, all generously donated by other rnuseums and by Veterans Associations and, of course, veterans and their families.
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| Many exhibits come from the bed of the
sea in Anzio port and its approaches where there are still the remains of aircraft war and
merchant ships, landing craft lying at various depths. Many of these wrecks still have the
crew on board, like the H.M.S Spartan, H.M.S. Janus and the Hospital ship St. David, to
mention but three of many! A visit to the museum is not, as one might imagine, one to a
cold conglomeration of junk, but a real and moving emotional and instructive experience
intendend, above all, as a plea for peace and brotherhood among nations, a condemnation of
war! It is also a pause for reflection for all the visitors on the horrors of war from
those who, if they are lucky enough to be alive today, are still fighting for peace and
democracy.
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