Resting Among Friends: The Cambridge American Cemetery and the Friendly Invasion

By: Cyril Marlen

Narrated by: Lt Colonel Tom Briggs (US Army Retired)

In the quiet Cambridgeshire countryside, between the villages of Coton and Madingley, lies a place where history and memory meet. The Cambridge American Cemetery, with its sweeping lawns, shining headstones, and solemn Wall of the Missing, is the only permanent American World War II cemetery in the United Kingdom. Nearly 4,000 servicemen and women rest here, and over 5,100 more are inscribed on the wall, their remains lost at sea or over enemy territory. Together, they embody the story of the “friendly invasion” — the arrival of nearly two million Americans who passed through Britain during the war.

Resting Among Friends explores the story behind this extraordinary place. It begins before the war, when Madingley parish was simply farmland and woodland overlooking the Fens. It then traces the arrival of American forces: airmen stationed across East Anglia, sailors battling the Atlantic, engineers building runways, Red Cross volunteers tending to weary crews. Their presence transformed local life, creating friendships, romances, and cultural exchanges that endure in memory to this day.

The book reveals how the idea of a permanent resting place arose from wartime necessity. A temporary cemetery opened on 7 December 1943 — the second anniversary of Pearl Harbor — and by 1945 held more than 5,000 graves. Families were later given the choice of repatriating remains or leaving them overseas, and many chose Cambridge. In 1947, the American Battle Monuments

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A Moving Tribute to History

Resting Among Friends offers a deeply moving account of the Cambridge American Cemetery. The book captures the stories of thousands of servicemen and women while also exploring the social and cultural impact of American forces in Cambridgeshire during WWII.

Illuminates the Human Side of War

This book goes beyond the cemetery itself to tell the stories of those who served, local communities, and enduring memories. It’s both educational and poignant, showing the human connections formed during wartime that still resonate today.

Insightful and Well-Researched

The author provides a thorough history of the cemetery, from temporary wartime graves to permanent memorials. I appreciated the attention to detail and the exploration of how families’ decisions shaped the resting place we see today.