From December 20 to 28, 1943, the Canadian Army experienced its “little Stalingrad” in Ortona, Italy. Famous for its strategic impact, the Battle of Ortona remains one of the Canadian Army’s greatest victories of the war, albeit at terrible cost.

After a successful campaign in Sicily from July 9 to August 17, 1943, the Allies landed in Italy with the aim of finally dislodging the Axis forces and overthrowing the regime of dictator Benito Mussolini. On September 3, the Canadian Army was deployed alongside British troops in the subsequent operations in the east of the peninsula. Indeed, throughout the autumn, Canadian soldiers fought their way up the country, racking up victory after victory – most notably at Campobasso.

The Battle of Ortona was the culmination of the Moro River Campaign, which ran from December 4 to January 4, 1944. The overall aim of the campaign was to break through the German defensive lines and eventually reach Rome, the Italian capital. Ortona is an important strategic position, thanks to its position among the German defenses. What’s more, its port had the potential to offer interesting access for the Allies. So, when the Canadian Army was tasked with capturing the town, the entire 1st Infantry Division was mobilized.

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Article written by Julien Lehoux for Je Me Souviens.