O/T Ortona

[Norm Cromie (RIP)]

Hi Barry
First of all the best to your son and his coming new bride. In 1977 my wife and I back-packed Europe and we visited my old haunt, Ortona. I am sure the locals could show you some of the history of this town of 1944. Here is a photo we took in 1977 and you could still see some of the shrapnel holes in the buildings and you will see the change in the Cathedral San Tommaso. The Germans were still shelling us from Pascara up until April. Sadly during the last shelling my platoon and I received a direct hit from an 88 in the building where we were staying with an unfortunate loss of life. So when you walk the streets of Ortona maybe you can imagine some of our Canadian history.

[Gunner]

Hi Barry:

Firstly congrats on adding a daughter to the offspring collection!

I toured Italy when I was on leave from Bosnia. Put away your Canadian sense of scale... Italy is small by our standards; rent a car and you can easily see many sights in a week. If you don't go up to Venice (which the Canadians liberated) you will never live it down!

The best way to see the battlefields is to grab a couple of good histories and a Commonwealth war graves cemetary map (on-line). In three days I covered all the major battlefields and cemetaries as well as enjoying a coffee and sending postcards from San Marino (a small independant mountain country surrounded by Italy). Venice took a day on its own.

Your off on a great adventure... our achievements in Italy have always been overshadowed by the stuff going on further North!

Good luck and have fun! Mike

[Barry Churcher]

Thanks guys for the replies.

Kevin thanks for the info on the book. It looks good so I ordered a copy.

Great info Norm and Gunner. We were going to stay in Pescara for the wedding and just drive to Carrufo. Now I wish we hadn't changed our minds but maybe its not too late. At Grannies house in Carrufo apparently there is still a painting of Mussolini visible on the outside wall.

Dirk it would be nice to meet for a coffee at that same spot. I remember how those stools were chained to the floor. If all flights are on time I will have a couple of hours at Schipol.

Barry

[Barry Churcher]

Kevin, thanks form the tip on the book. It came in the mail on Friday and when I brought it home Janet spent the evening reading it and commenting on how good it was. Now she wants to see the Liri Valley also but I don't think there will be time.

We had dinner with Clayton's new in-laws last week and found out we will be only a cable car ride away from the hotel on the mountain where Mussolini was imprisoned and then rescued by the Germans.

Barry

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Barry Churcher

Dirk it would be nice to meet for a coffee at that same spot. I remember how those stools were chained to the floor. If all flights are on time I will have a couple of hours at Schipol.

Barry, let me know your ETA, I'd like to join you guys there. After all, you're landing right on my doorstep.
Also, if you need a place to stay, you're always welcome at my place. My car + driver (me) are at your disposal, too.

H.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Norm Cromie

So when you walk the streets of Ortona maybe you can imagine some of our Canadian history.

Hi Norm,

I'd surely would love to walk the streets with you. Nothing like a "war walk" with a veteran to help you envisage what it was like.

Hanno