Battle of Ortona Totally Explained

Everything about Battle Of Ortona totally explained

The Battle of Ortona (December 20, 1943 to December 28, 1943)

The battle

The Canadians faced elements of the renowned German 1st Parachute Division. These soldiers were battle-hardened after many years of war, and were ordered by Hitler to defend Ortona at any cost.
   The initial Canadian attack on the town was made on 20 December by Canadian 2nd Brigade's Loyal Edmonton Regiment with elements of the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada under command. Meanwhile elements of the division's 3rd Infantry Brigade launched a northerly attack to the west of the town in attempt to outflank and cut off the town's rear communications but made slow progress because of the difficult terrain and the skilful and determined German defence.
   In the town itself, the Germans had placed various barricades and left rubble strewn throughout the narrow side streets surrounding the Piazza Municipale. The only available route for the Canadian tanks was through the Corso Vittorio, which was booby trapped; traps would serve the Germans with deadly efficiency during the eight days of bitter fighting.
   The Germans also concealed various machine guns and anti-tank emplacements throughout the town, making virtually any street a death trap to the advancing Canadians. The house to house fighting was vicious and the Canadians made use of a new tactic: "mouse-holing".
   This tactic involved using weapons such as the PIAT (or even cumbersome anti-tank guns) to breach the walls of a building. The soldiers would then throw in grenades and assault through the mouse holes, clearing the top floors and making their way down, where both adversaries struggled in brutal close-quarters combat. Mouse-holing was also used to pierce through walls into adjoining rooms, sometimes catching enemy troops by surprise. The tactic would be used repeatedly as assaulting through the streets meant certain death for the Canadian troops. Later, in a particularly deadly incident, a German demolished an entire house packed with Canadian soldiers; only one soldier survived. The Canadians retaliated by demolishing another building on top of two German platoons, wiping them out.
   After six days of intense combat, 2nd Brigade's third battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, joined the battle together with tanks from 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade's Three Rivers Regiment (Régiment de Trois-Rivières).
   On December 28th, after eight days of fighting, the depleted German troops, who lacked reinforcements, finally withdrew from the town. The Canadians suffered 1,375 dead

Trivia

The 'Ortona Toast' found its origin during this battle. The custom of toasting to the 'health of the regiment' (for example, the Royal Canadian Regiment) with a mixture of dark rum, water, and brown sugar served in a white china cup was first observed on December 21, 1943 which marked the sixtieth anniversary of the Royal Canadian Regiment.
In December 1999, the 55th anniversary of the Battle of Ortona, Canadian and German survivors from "Little Stalingrad" gathered in Ortona for a week of memories, stories, and ceremonies.

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