@BattleofOrtona Blog – “Conclusion”
The advance that began on the banks of the Moro River on 4 December was to continue until Point 59 north of Ortona was in Canadian hands. 8th Army’s offensive was over and Pescara and the road to Rome were [...]
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@BattleofOrtona Blog – “26 December”
The German paratroopers launched a major attack on the 48th Highlanders at 1430 hrs just after three Sherman tanks of the Ontario Regiment arrived. The tanks went into action immediately and the paratroopers were driven back in a panic. It [...]
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@BattleofOrtona Blog – “25 December, Part III of III”
“Ortona was essentially a battle-ground where success or failure depended on the individual initiative of junior leaders. Sections, platoons and companies became separate entities isolated in small worlds inside a crumbling city; dust and smoke curtained attacker and defender from [...]
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@BattleofOrtona Blog – “25 December Part II of III”
“On Christmas morning, Brigade Headquarters ordered the R.C.R. to abandon the original intention of cutting the main road, and instead to form a corridor between the Hastings and 48th Highlanders through which the latter could receive supplies and evacuate casualties. [...]
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@BattleofOrtona Blog – “25 Decemeber, Part I of III”
“The Q.M. Capt D.B. Cameron spent a busy morning fixing up details for the Christmas Dinner to be held in the church occupied by B.H.Q. The Protective Group sent parties of men around and ruined houses in the town collecting [...]
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@BattleofOrtona Blog – “24 December”
“As the Canadians penetrated further into the built-up portion of the town, they found that after clearing the first house of a block, they could move to the next either through the street or by jumping across the balconies. By [...]
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BattleofOrtona Blog – “The Daring Gamble”
“It was almost dusk when the situation was such that the 48th Highlanders could pass through the Hastings’ positions. There was an air of gamble about the attack; no artillery preparation was made, and the hope of tanks getting through [...]
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@BattleofOrtona Blog – 22 December
“We became involved in a vicious circle. The infantry would be brought up to form a bridgehead over a rubble path. It would be necessary for them to clear mines under cover of smoke or else to extend the bridgehead [...]
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@BattleofOrtona Blog – “War Diary: Seaforth Highlanders of Canada”
“The Loyal Edmonton Regiment and “C” Company of the Seaforth of Canada advanced into the South and South-east extremities of the town, the Edmontons advanced forward, and “C” Company to the area of the Church. The fighting was still stiff, [...]
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@BattleofOrtona Blog – “Morning, 21 December”
“Ortona was typical of the many towns along the Adriatic coast which in the Middle Ages were built on high promontories rather than on a narrow strip of beach. All of its former impregnability bad been retained with the deep [...]
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