Feast Day

As Canadian forces pushed steadily through the olive groves and vineyards west of Ortona, Fallschirmjáger Division 1 was compelled to establish a new defensive line in the town itself. Ortona was already something of a rubble strewn maze from damage caused by near incessant Canadian artillery fire; now the Germans …

1943-12-21

WO34

As Canadian forces pushed steadily through the olive groves and vineyards west of Ortona, Fallschirmjáger Division 1 was compelled to establish a new defensive line in the town itself. Ortona was already something of a rubble strewn maze from damage caused by near incessant Canadian artillery fire; now the Germans enhanced the shambles with demolitions to block likely avenues of approach. By 20 December, the Canadians had reached the outskirts of southern Ortona. A reconnaissance conducted late that evening revealed no German presence whatsoever. Plans were laid to enter the town using the main road, the Corso Vittorio Emanuele, to push straight through to the other end of Ortona. At dawn the next morning, the Loyal Edmonton Regiment launched the attack and almost immediately ran into well prepared German defenses the recce had not revealed. Shortly thereafter, on the Canadian right, C Company of the Seaforth Highlanders headed for its first objective, the Santa Maria di Costantinopoli church. 21 December was Festa di San Tommaso the Feast Day of St. Thomas. a day of celebration in Ortona. St. Thomas himself was believed to be buried in the Seaforths' ultimate goal for the day, the Concattedrale di San Tommaso.

Ortona, Italy

The Battle of Ortona was a battle fought between two battalions of elite German Fallschirmjäger (paratroops) from the German 1st Parachute Division under Generalleutnant Richard Heidrich, and assaulting Canadian troops from the Canadian 1st 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.

Canadian

German

Scenario Type = Standard