Ortona: Canada's Epic World War II Battle

When I saw this in a bookstore in Toronto a few summers ago, one of my sons knew it would be the perfect birthday gift, as my dad [and, of course, his grandfather] fought with the Canadian Army throughout the battles of Sicily and Italy. Dad was a sergeant with an anti-tank battery with the 1st Anti-Tank Regiment, and while he was reluctant to discuss the war in any detail, there were times - especially with a few beers under his belt - when he would open up. Even then, however, the horrific battles at the Moro River and Ortona were off usually limits. Then, in the early days of his brief battle with Alzheimer's, he spoke of those days in the halting, limited vocabulary that is the bane of the disease's sufferers. And I remember him telling how his AT battery would be called in to blast away the top floors of some high buildings in the town and open up gaps in the rubble for the Shermans. He also spoke of the spooky German withdrawal, saying one day they moved into position only to find them "all gone ... all gone." How thrilling it was to see these events covered in Mr. Zuehlke's book. Thank you, sir, for the one of the best volumes on the Canadian effort in that theatre of the war. It takes a Canadian author to recognize and credit the actions of the Canadian Army without referring to them as "British forces."

I met Mark Zuehlke at my uncle's funeral (2006) in Victoria BC. My uncle was a WWII vet of the battle in Ortona. At the funeral, Mark presented his interview with my uncle that he used in this book. I was amazed at Mark's energy and passion. He truly wants to present and record Canada's contribution to the war effort through the eyes of those people who were there. I had to have the book and read about this battle. The book descibes in detail each battle and extraordinary effort and bravery our soldiers gave. Several of the combat battles like fighting from house to house in Ortona, or the battle at the Gully would make good topics for movies. This book made me feel proud to be a Canadian.

A gripping story of one of Canada's important contributions in WWII. Hard to put the book down once started. An excellent illustration of what is perhaps the classic Canadian experience of the war. The author calls upon all possible sources in order to present a complete account of the overall battle, including the complete Canadian advance from the Moro, leading up to the streetfighting battle itself. A fine job by Mark Zuehlke, who could be the Stephen Ambrose of Canada. P.S. My father was at Ortona, for him it was just another job. He should be proud.

The Canadian have been repeatedly set apart from the grand scheme of the hole war by some historian most of them from England, but in reality they have been deeply involve even if the quantity of man and woman was not as big as other countries.Ortona gives you a sense of what it is to be a Canadian soldier. Well written, and well depicted, the story of some of the best regiment will give you a grip of the real thing, the fear and the bound that emerge from the hell of the shell and blood.This book is a must have in any serious collection.Paul Bougault2Lt/Fus MR21/34thCBG/RCAC

Mark Zuehlke has written a compassionate and compelling study of the one of the most difficult battles fought by the Canadian Army in the Second World War. For those who wish to gain a real understanding of the Canadian infantryman's war, I would strongly recommend they begin by reading Ortona. Indeed, it deserves a place in the library of any reader wishing to understand tactical ground combat in the Second World War. It helped me to understand my grandfather.