Enfidaville War Cemetery

Enfidaville War Cemetery in Tunisia is a World War Two Commonwealth cemetery housing the graves of 1,551 soldiers who died in the course of the North Africa Campaign, particularly the Tunisia Campaign. Of these graves, 88 are unidentified.

The Tunisia Campaign was fought between Allied and Axis forces from 1942 to 1943.. The area in which the Enfidaville War Cemetery is located and the surrounding area of Tarkouna saw particularly fierce fighting near the end of this campaign, with most of those buried there having perished in the period of March to May 1943.

Enfidaville War Cemetery history

The Tunisia Campaign against the Axis powers began in November 1942 when Commonwealth and US Army troops landed in Algeria and Morocco. The Germans responded quickly, sending forces from Sicily to Tunisia to prevent Allied advance.

However, in the south, the Axis forces were defeated at Al Alamein and withdrew into Tunisia via Libya. The Allies regrouped for a final offensive but were strongly resisted. Nevertheless, on 7 May 1943, Tunis fell to the Allied forces and by 11 May the town of Enfidaville, 100 kilometres south of the city, was taken.

Most of those buried as Enfidaville War Cemetery died during the intense final battles of the campaign, particularly at the city of Enfidha.

Enfidaville War Cemetery today

Today, the Enfidaville War Cemetery is open at all times of the day. Note that the register and visitor’s book will only be accessible during working hours. Visitors will find a large and open space of 8 burial plots with neat lines of grave markers.

As you walk in you will see the ‘Stone of Remembrance’, inscribed with the words ‘their name liveth for evermore’. In the centre of the graves is an obelisk monument topped by a cross, known as the ‘Plaque of Sacrifice’. Among those buried are known to be 8 Jewish men.

The reflective site also has several signs illustrating the advances of the Axis and Allies during the North African campaign, and there are places to pause under the shade of large trees.

Getting to Enfidaville War Cemetery

The easiest way to reach Enfidaville War Cemetery is via the autoroute on the main coastal road by car. The cemetery is 1 kilometre west of the town centre on the road to Zaghouan and is well sign-posted. There is plenty of car parking on site.