Ortona... ... 1 of 12 index uagJ! about canadjansoldiers com contact WI forum blog ...
Ortona Dec. 20-28, 1943. Fighting occurred between Canadian and the German 1 st Parachute Division....
-
Upload
camron-stone -
Category
Documents
-
view
214 -
download
0
Transcript of Ortona Dec. 20-28, 1943. Fighting occurred between Canadian and the German 1 st Parachute Division....
![Page 1: Ortona Dec. 20-28, 1943. Fighting occurred between Canadian and the German 1 st Parachute Division. It is considered one of Canada’s greatest achievements.](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062519/5697bfc81a28abf838ca827a/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
OrtonaDec. 20-28, 1943
![Page 2: Ortona Dec. 20-28, 1943. Fighting occurred between Canadian and the German 1 st Parachute Division. It is considered one of Canada’s greatest achievements.](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062519/5697bfc81a28abf838ca827a/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Fighting occurred between Canadian and the German 1st Parachute Division.
It is considered one of Canada’s greatest achievements during the war.
Deadliest close quarter combat of the war.
![Page 3: Ortona Dec. 20-28, 1943. Fighting occurred between Canadian and the German 1 st Parachute Division. It is considered one of Canada’s greatest achievements.](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062519/5697bfc81a28abf838ca827a/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Ortona’s Importance
Ortona was one of Italy’s few ports.
It was needed to dock allied ships.
![Page 4: Ortona Dec. 20-28, 1943. Fighting occurred between Canadian and the German 1 st Parachute Division. It is considered one of Canada’s greatest achievements.](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062519/5697bfc81a28abf838ca827a/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
![Page 5: Ortona Dec. 20-28, 1943. Fighting occurred between Canadian and the German 1 st Parachute Division. It is considered one of Canada’s greatest achievements.](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062519/5697bfc81a28abf838ca827a/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Map of Italy, showing Ortona
![Page 6: Ortona Dec. 20-28, 1943. Fighting occurred between Canadian and the German 1 st Parachute Division. It is considered one of Canada’s greatest achievements.](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062519/5697bfc81a28abf838ca827a/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
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.
![Page 7: Ortona Dec. 20-28, 1943. Fighting occurred between Canadian and the German 1 st Parachute Division. It is considered one of Canada’s greatest achievements.](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062519/5697bfc81a28abf838ca827a/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
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.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Ortona)
![Page 8: Ortona Dec. 20-28, 1943. Fighting occurred between Canadian and the German 1 st Parachute Division. It is considered one of Canada’s greatest achievements.](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062519/5697bfc81a28abf838ca827a/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
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.)
![Page 9: Ortona Dec. 20-28, 1943. Fighting occurred between Canadian and the German 1 st Parachute Division. It is considered one of Canada’s greatest achievements.](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062519/5697bfc81a28abf838ca827a/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Edmonton Regiment soldiers use walkie-talkie during
advance in Ortona, Italy, 21 December 1943.
![Page 10: Ortona Dec. 20-28, 1943. Fighting occurred between Canadian and the German 1 st Parachute Division. It is considered one of Canada’s greatest achievements.](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062519/5697bfc81a28abf838ca827a/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Destruction
![Page 11: Ortona Dec. 20-28, 1943. Fighting occurred between Canadian and the German 1 st Parachute Division. It is considered one of Canada’s greatest achievements.](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062519/5697bfc81a28abf838ca827a/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
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.
![Page 12: Ortona Dec. 20-28, 1943. Fighting occurred between Canadian and the German 1 st Parachute Division. It is considered one of Canada’s greatest achievements.](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062519/5697bfc81a28abf838ca827a/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Canadian troops moving anti-tank gun into position during street fighting in Ortona, 21 December 1943.
![Page 13: Ortona Dec. 20-28, 1943. Fighting occurred between Canadian and the German 1 st Parachute Division. It is considered one of Canada’s greatest achievements.](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062519/5697bfc81a28abf838ca827a/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Canadian Army tanks and Infantry advance through the streets in Ortona, italy during the final stages of the fighting in the costal town.
![Page 14: Ortona Dec. 20-28, 1943. Fighting occurred between Canadian and the German 1 st Parachute Division. It is considered one of Canada’s greatest achievements.](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062519/5697bfc81a28abf838ca827a/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
Video clip of fighting at Ortona
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Znr-eaov20
![Page 15: Ortona Dec. 20-28, 1943. Fighting occurred between Canadian and the German 1 st Parachute Division. It is considered one of Canada’s greatest achievements.](https://reader036.fdocuments.in/reader036/viewer/2022062519/5697bfc81a28abf838ca827a/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
The Outcome
On December 28th, after eight days of fighting, the depleted German troops, who lacked reinforcements, finally withdrew from the town.
1 375 Canadians were killed (1/4 of the troops fighting).