Battle for Ortona

[Canuck Farrier]

The Battle of Ortona 1943
Close Quarter fighting! House by house, basement by basement, floor by floor by floor, alley by alley, street by street, block by block. Other than the trenches of the Great War there surely can be no worse scenario for the madness and horror of combat.Heres photos of the Battle for Ortoan often referred to as "little Stalingrad"
In terms of loss of life, on the Allied side over 1600 men died in just eight days. Looking at those statistics, it is easy to understand why Ortona was called a "Little Stalingrad."







Figure 1 shows a typical German defensive position at the intersection of a street and an alley.

[Jay316]

Thx for sharing the pics.

Paratus.

[Dimebag]

That was a hell of a battle,the canadians fought like wild dogs againts the also hardcore defencers of the 1st Fallschirmjager division,the resulting battle was a true close combat,hell on earth 6 days battle.
RIP to the fallen,both sides.

[guest]

A very nasty battle.

As bad as it was for the soldiers, it must have been just awfull for the citizens.

The Germans fought very well IMO

They were conducting a true "fighting retreat" across Italy and Europe.

They dug in and held on to the last in many places.

They made us pay for every house, every street.

I've never been one to bash the regular German Army, although they were "the enemy", they fought hard and well.

So did we, and in the end victory prevailed, but it certainly did not come cheap.

I'm glad that such a battle will never pass between our 2 nations again.

[EvanL]

We showed our true fighting spirit then.
It's a piece of history that everyone should know. Not just us Canucks.

[Heron]

That was a hell of a battle,the canadians fought like wild dogs againts the also hardcore defencers of the 1st Fallschirmjager division,the resulting battle was a true close combat,hell on earth 6 days battle.
RIP to the fallen,both sides.

x2
RIP

[Avary]

It's a piece of history that everyone should know. Not just us Canucks.

It would be at the very least a good start. 3 years ago I wrote a paper on WW2 which showcased the Battle Ortona. I have yet to find a single Quebecer who is even aware that we fought the Germans in Italy in WW2.

[Johnny_H]

I posted a very good documentory a few months back, ill see if i can dig up the link again, in the documentory, Canadian and German vets meet after 50years and confront thier demons, and its a really touching documentory.

Ortona was dubbed "Little Stalingrad" by the allies due to the ferocity of the urban fighting in that battle. I really dont like the whole "We did this and We did that " because sure its Canadian history but we incinuates "Us" Collectively, and I can only give those from both sides my deepest respects, and admire thier courage for facing such a daunting task.

[Dimebag]

If you can post the link to the doco youll make it to my "cool list"

[Johnny_H]

Return to Ortona

The ghosts of Ortona have returned to Italy. Fifty-five years ago, Matthew Halton's famous reports on the Battle of Ortona detailed the brutal street combat between the Canadian and German soldiers. Listeners at home were riveted to the sounds of the crashing shells and Halton's descriptions of "the courtyard of hell." This Christmas, CBC Reporter David Halton, Matthew's son, writes the final epilogue to his father's reports. Interviewing the same soldiers his father followed, Halton is there as the Canadian and German veterans reconcile.

http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-71-636-...ct_war/halton/



Was originally aired in 1999

[Canuck Farrier]

Thanks for the video.It makes me feel grateful what all allied soldiers did for us at a staggering price of life.At age 22 its hard to imagine me and my buddys fighting and dying in large numbers every day those guys went through alot of **** .Casulties are very light today in Afghanistan as compared to even one day of fighting in WW2.

[Canuck Farrier]

This one bellow is actually from Caen

Ortona

This Canadian Sherman tank is positioned at a street corner ready to blast Germans firing from a house. Note the tank commander using binoculars. The road around the tank is littered with empty casings.

Members of the Edmonton Regiment digging out a comrade who was buried alive in the wreckage of a building demolished by the enemy.


A Canadain sherman tabk from the Eight Army is seen in action on a street in Ortona, Italy during eight days of fighting to win the town.

Interrogation of a German soldier who entered San Leonardo di Ortona, Italy, in civilian clothes. December 13, 1943 , Place of publication: San Leonardo di Ortona, Italy.

An unidentified gunner of the Saskatoon Light Infantry (M.G.) laying down harrassing fire with a Vickers machine gun. January 7, 1944. Ortona, Italy (vicinity).

Rescue of Lance-Corporal Roy Boyd of "C" Company, Loyal Edmonton Regiment, who was buried alive for three-and-a-half days in the rubble of a blown-up house.

[Canuck Farrier]

Its amazing the soldier above survived and still looks like he has his witts about him.

[sgabbio]

you can find some more photos here http://www.battagliadiortona.it/http/photo.htm

[chassem]

It would be at the very least a good start. 3 years ago I wrote a paper on WW2 which showcased the Battle Ortona. I have yet to find a single Quebecer who is even aware that we fought the Germans in Italy in WW2.

...and I know just as many Ontarioans or Nova Scotians that don't know that either. Military ignorance is hardly based on which province you're from. The flaw is in the nation's school system.