Feast Day MTO (id:#64739)

(Winter Offensive Bonus Pack 2020 ID: WO34)   [next]   [previous]

Ortona, Italy 1943-12-21 (1 other)

Overview:

As Canadian forces pushed steadily through the olive groves and vineyards west of Ortona, Fallschirmjäger-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.

Defender: German (Bataillon II, Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 3, Fallschirmjäger Division 1)  

Errata (source)