No one expected a tough fight in Ortona. It was generally thought that, after the Gully, the Germans had retreated to at least three miles north of the Arielli River. Instead, two battalions of German paratroopers awaited the Canadians in this heavily fortified town.
One of the best descriptions of Ortona is found in the book, The D-Day Dodgers, by Daniel Dancocks. A few quotes will give the picture:
“…Ortona was a picturesque community. Nearby was the great dome of the cathedral of San Tommaso, visible for miles around. The older part of town consisted of tall, narrow houses and dark cramped streets. Because of a deep ravine west of town, and the steep cliffs and sea on the other, there was only one way into Ortona; along Route 16, the road which had been protected by Casa Berardi.
Side streets had been sealed off with rubble in order to channel the attackers along the main boulevard into the town. The central square had been turned into a killing ground, the surrounding buildings filled with guns and mortars carefully sited to lay down a murderous crossfire.
Very few of the residents were still in Ortona in December 1943. Able bodied males were sent to work as slave labour in northern Italy, while a great many others fled to the mountains. In a way, this was a good thing, for these people were spared the sight of the almost total destruction of their town…”
Our boys were fighting hard, while back in Canada, their families were enjoying Christmas dinner. The objective was the coastal town of Ortona and it was a fierce battle. On December 20th, the Loyal Edmonton Regiment and Shermans of the Three Rivers got into the outskirts of the town along the main road. Courageous as they were, one battalion could not capture the town. They were reinforced by the Seaforth Highlanders of Vancouver.
They had in Italy, another new technique: house to house fighting. The main road was covered by German defensive fire, so it was necessary to clear the town building-by-building through a technique Canadians developed called “mouse holing.” Soldiers progressed from house to house by blasting small holes in the walls of each adjoining building, breaking through and then clearing each dwelling room by room. It was an agonizing progression, but that way, they could clear entire blocks without setting foot in the street.
For some of the boys, it was their fifth Christmas overseas.
A report by a legendary CBC war correspondent tells more of the story:
This is Matthew Halton, of the CBC, speaking from Italy. At 8:00 this morning I was bumping over the tank ruts into the outskirts of Ortona. There was a strange silence and I surmised something. Only a few machine guns were clattering. Only an occasional enemy shell was falling and bearded men who hadn’t had their boots off for 30 days were laughing. The colonel grinned when I came in. I said, don’t tell me. And he replied yes, I think we’ve got Ortona. Not two minutes later, the radio buzzed and Corporal Bill Polville of Edmonton took the message from the signaller at the Port, not 400 yards away. Then he took off his earphones and turned to the Colonel. Sir, the Jerries have gone, or else they’re all dead. Ortona was ours.
The battle for Ortona was over. The German paratroops had pulled out during the night.
Artist Charles Comfort went into the town and was astonished. The buildings were tottering crazily and the great cathedral, San Tomasso, had been blown up by the Germans. Comfort was so upset he was unable to do any sketching but he did return later to paint the wreckage of this once great church.
