The Battle of Ortona

Citation: “For Canada.” 1943. TIME Magazine 42 (25): 29–30. https://search-ebscohost-com.login.ezproxy.library.ualberta.ca/login.aspx?direct=true&db=tma&AN=54838399&site=eds-live&scope=site.

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Based on their Sicilian Campaign experience, Canadian forces displayed their tactical skills and discipline at Ortona, where close-quarter combat and German defences created many complex challenges. Grebstad (2014) highlights how lessons from Sicily prepared Canadian troops for the difficulties of Ortona, where they demonstrated remarkable resilience and ingenuity. The liberation of Ortona marked a turning point in Canada’s contributions to the Allied effort in Italy.

The Battle of Ortona, described as "Canada's Stalingrad," was fought in December of 1943 and was one of the fiercest engagements during Canada’s Italian Campaign. Canadian troops, part of General Montgomery’s Eighth Army, faced elite German paratroopers in intense combat within Ortona’s narrow streets known for its brutal close-quarters combat. Although many casualties ensued, it highlights Canadians' resiliency and adaptability under brutal conditions, which were critical to their eventual victory despite significant casualties 

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References

Grebstad, D. W. (2014). The guns of Sicily. Canadian Military History, 23(1), 89–110.