Ortona Dec , 1943

Fighting occurred between Canadian and the German 1 st Parachute Division. It is considered one of Canada’s greatest achievements during the war. Deadliest close quarter combat of the war.

Ortona’s Importance Ortona was one of Italy’s few ports. It was needed to dock allied ships.

Map of Italy, showing Ortona

Fighting The terrain around Ortona was difficult. In the town, streets were narrow and booby trapped. There were concealed machine guns and tank barriers. Canadians made use of a new tactic: "mouse-holing“ in order to avoid combat in the streets.mouse-holing

Mouse Holing The walls of buildings were breached. “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 ruins could hide snipers or heavier weapons. The rubble could stop a tank. Boobytraps and mines could be anywhere. (This photograph was taken after the fighting at Ortona had ended.)

Edmonton Regiment soldiers use walkie-talkie during advance in Ortona, Italy, 21 December 1943.

Destruction

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.

Canadian troops moving anti-tank gun into position during street fighting in Ortona, 21 December 1943.

Canadian Army tanks and Infantry advance through the streets in Ortona, italy during the final stages of the fighting in the costal town.

Video clip of fighting at Ortona nr-eaov20 nr-eaov20

The Outcome On December 28th, after eight days of fighting, the depleted German troops, who lacked reinforcements, finally withdrew from the town Canadians were killed (1/4 of the troops fighting).