The Battle of Ortona 20 December 1943

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1 20 December 1943 Britton Publishers Page 1

2 History (December 20, 1943 to December 28, 1943) was a small yet extremely fierce battle fought between German Fallschirmjäger, and assaulting Canadian forces from the 1st Canadian Infantry Division. It was the culmination of the fighting on the Adriatic front in Italy during "Bloody December" and was considered among Canada's greatest achievements during the war. Taking place in the small Adriatic Sea town of Ortona, with its peacetime population of 10,000, the battle was the site of what was perhaps the deadliest close quarter combat engagement of the entire war. Some dubbed this "Little Stalingrad." Background The Eighth Army's offensive on the Winter Line defenses east of the Apennine Mountains had commenced on November 23 with the crossing of the river Sangro. By the end of the month the main Gustav Line defenses had been penetrated and the Allied troops were fighting their way forward to the next river, the Moro, four miles north of the mouth of which lay Ortona. For the Moro crossing in early December the exhausted British 78th Infantry Division on the Allied right flank on the Adriatic coast had been relieved by Canadian 1st Infantry Division. By mid December, after fierce fighting in the cold, wet and mud the Division's 1st Infantry Brigade had fought its way to within two miles of Ortona and was relieved by 2nd Infantry Brigade for the advance on the town. Ortona had little strategic importance, as its port was nothing more than a dock for local fisherman. However, because of autumn and winter rains, the land away from the built up areas was nearly impassable, even by foot. Allied forces were ordered to maintain the offensive, and going through the built up areas in and around Ortona was the only feasible option. Ortona was almost impregnable; the only option for an assault would be from the south. It also constituted part of the Winter Line, where the Germans were ordered to "fight for every last house and tree." The Battle The Canadians faced elements of the renowned German 1st Parachute Division. These soldiers were battle-hardened after many years of war, and were ordered by Hitler to defend Ortona at any cost. The initial Canadian attack on the town was made on 20 December by Canadian 2nd Brigade's Loyal Edmonton Regiment with elements of the Sea-forth Highlanders of Canada. Meanwhile, the division's 3rd Infantry Brigade launched an attack to the west of the town in attempt to outflank and cut off the town's rear communications, but they made slow progress because of the difficult terrain and the determined German defense. Britton Publishers Page 2

3 In the town itself, the Germans placed various barricades and left rubble strewn throughout the narrow side streets surrounding the Piazza Municipale. The only available route for the Canadian tanks was through the Corso Vittorio, which was booby trapped; traps would serve the Germans with deadly efficiency during the eight days of bitter fighting. The Germans also concealed various machine guns and anti-tank emplacements throughout the town, making virtually any street a death trap to the advancing Canadians. The house to house fighting was vicious and the Canadians made use of a new tactic: "mouse-holing." This tactic involved using weapons such as the PIAT (or even cumbersome anti-tank guns) to breach the walls of a building. The soldiers would then throw in grenades and assault through the mouse holes, clearing the top floors and making their way down, where both adversaries struggled in brutal close-quarters combat. Mouse-holing was also used to pierce through walls into adjoining rooms, sometimes catching enemy troops by surprise. The tactic would be used repeatedly as assaulting through the streets meant certain death for the Canadian troops. Later, in a particularly deadly incident, a German demolished an entire house packed with Canadian soldiers; only one soldier survived. The Canadians retaliated by demolishing another building on top of two German platoons, wiping them out. Aftermath After six days of intense combat, 2nd Brigade's third battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, joined the battle together with tanks from 1st Canadian Armored Brigade's Three Rivers Regiment (Regiment de Trois-Rivières). After eight days of fighting, the depleted German troops, who lacked reinforcements, finally withdrew from the town. The Canadians suffered 1,375 dead in the fighting in and around Ortona, almost a quarter of all Canadians killed during the Italian Campaign. Victory Conditions The Canadians have 10 turns to find and capture the fortified strong point. The Germans must avoid Canadian victory conditions. Set-up The German player will secretly choose one house to fortify. He may set-up anywhere on the board and should attempt to conceal the fortification. The Canadians may enter anywhere from off-board. Canadian Forces Troop Quality will range from regular to veteran and determine Willpower. Leadership is 13. Britton Publishers Page 3

4 1x Platoon HQ: Commander, Platoon Sergeant, 3-man 2" mortar team, a runner, officer s batman/orderly (2x Sten SMG, 5 rifles, 1x PIAT w/ 6 bombs; 6 grenades) 2x 10-man section: (2x Bren LMG, 2x Sten SMG, 16 rifles, 20 grenades 1x Cromwell IV (A27) w/ 5-man crew Reinforcements on Turn 2 1x Cromwell IV (A27M) w/ 5-man crew Reinforcements on Turn 3 2x Sherman IV w/ 5-man crew Reinforcements on Turn 4 1x 10-man section (4x satchel charges; 1x Bren LMG, 1x Sten SMG, 8 rifles; 10 grenades) German Forces Troop Quality will range from regular to veteran and determine Willpower. Leadership is 13. 1x Platoon HQ: Commander, Platoon Sergeant, 3-man 5.0cm mortar team (2x MP40, 3 rifles) 1x 10-man squad: 2x MG42 LMG, 2x MP40 SMG, 6 rifles, 20 grenades 1x Raketenwerfer 43 (Püppchen) w/ 2-man crew 1x PaK 40 AT Gun w/ 5-man crew 2x 4" x 2" mine field 2x 105mm artillery shells (IED/hidden) 6x hidden grenade/booby traps 1x Fortified Building* *One building must be chosen for fortification. It may be prepared as follows: 1. Attic post: with a few bricks and slates removed to provide loopholes for observation and sniping. The loft hatch is enlarged and a sturdy ladder fitted. Sniper might also find positions in parts of the roof. 2. Upper floor: floor and ceiling are reinforced with timber props and arrangements of capsills and groundsills at right angles to the joists; two layers of sandbags are laid over the floor. All window glass has been knocked out and anti-grenade netting fitted. Curtains of Hessian or blankets obscure the top halves of the windows so that riflemen positioned well back in the room can fire unseen from oblique angles. Furniture is filled with rubble or sandbags and used for protection. A new hatchway has been smashed through the floor and a ladder fitted, giving quick access to and from the ground floor. Any handy container is Britton Publishers Page 4

5 filled with water. Windows not needed for fire or observation are blocked with planks, corrugated iron or anti-grenade netting. 3. Ground floor: concertina rolls or barbed wire all round the house keep the enemy back from the doors and windows, the latter being prepared as above; additional planks with exposed nails discourage climbing in over the window sills. Jammed and propped timbers again reinforce ceiling and floor, and also the lintels of interior doorways. Earth-filled furniture provides protected firing positions. 4. The staircase: has the banisters broken away, and the treads and risers covered with nail-studded planks. One narrow gap is left until the attack is imminent, then blocked with a last prepared plank. 5. Crawl-holes: are knocked through interior partition walls throughout, so defenders can move freely through the house at floor level. The bath is filled with water for emergency use. 6. Ground level doors: these are barricaded with earth-filled furniture and sandbags, leaving only a narrow gap for observations and fire. 7. Down-pipes and climbing plants: are removed above ground floor level, denying attackers any handholds if trying to reach the upper windows. 8. The cellar: serves as a store for ammunition and other supplies. It is reinforced with beams, and the stairway is prepared for blocking with nailed planks. Any external doors are secured. Even if the house is more or less demolished the cellar may still provide a last strongpoint. NOTE: This plan is taken from the Instructor s Handbook on Field-craft and Battle Drill Britton Publishers Page 5

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