Ortona Avenue is dedicated to the Canadian troops who fought in the Battle of Ortona. Ortona Avenue is located in the Carleton Heights – Rideau View neighbourhood of Ottawa. This area was developed in the mid-late 1940’s to house returning Second World War veterans and their families. Many streets in the area are named for famous battles and a nearby church was named to memorialize all Second World War veterans.
The Battle of Ortona (20-28 December 1943) was an extremely fierce battle fought between German Fallschirmjäger (paratroops) from the German 1st Parachute Division and assaulting Canadian forces from the Canadian 1st Infantry Division. It was the culmination of the fighting on the Adriatic front in Italy during “Bloody December”. The battle, dubbed “Little Stalingrad” for the deadliness of its close-quarters combat, took place in the small Adriatic Sea town of Ortona, about halfway down the Italian coast.
The initial Canadian attack on the town was made on December 20 by Canadian 2nd Brigade’s Loyal Edmonton Regiment with elements of the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada under command. Meanwhile elements of the division’s 3rd Brigade launched a northerly attack to the west of the town in attempt to outflank and cut off the town’s rear communications but made slow progress because of the difficult terrain and the skillful and determined German defence.
The Germans also concealed various machine guns and anti-tank emplacements throughout the town, making movement by armour and infantry increasingly difficult. The house to house fighting was vicious and the Canadians made use of a new tactic: “mouse-holing”. On December 26, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry and the Three Rivers Regiment joined the battle. After eight days of fierce fighting, the depleted German troops withdrew from the town.
