Battle of Ortona

In December 1943, after taking heavy casualties when crossing the Moro River, Allied Canadian forces led by Major General Chris Vokes have formed a small beachhead into the city of Ortona. The Canadians, stuck in their advance, were met with …

1943-12-20

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In December 1943, after taking heavy casualties when crossing the Moro River, Allied Canadian forces led by Major General Chris Vokes have formed a small beachhead into the city of Ortona. The Canadians, stuck in their advance, were met with heavy Resistance from German paratroopers led by Generalleutnant Richard Heidrich. They were ordered to fight to the death. Joined by another Canadian division, the allies managed to reach the town and a bloody house to house fight begins. This battle is also known as little Stalingrad or Italian Stalingrad. The objective was the deep water port in Ortona to advance the allied supply chain.

Ortona, Italy

The Battle of Ortona was a battle fought between two battalions of elite German Fallschirmjäger (paratroops) from the Germanist Parachute Division under Generalleutnant Richard Heidrich, and assaulting Canadian troops from the Canadianist Infantry Division under Major General Chris Vokes, most of whom were fresh recruits whose baptism of fire was during the Invasion of Sicily. It was the culmination of the fighting on the Adriatic front in Italy during "Bloody December". The battle was known to those who fought it as the "Italian Stalingrad," for the brutality of its close-quarters combat, which was only worsened by the chaotic rubble of the town and the many booby traps used by both sides. The battle took place in the small Adriatic Sea town of Ortona, with a peacetime population of 10,000.

Wikipedia: Battle of Ortona

German

Canadian

Game Type: Standard

Board Type: Countryside

Website Access: Available