O/T Ortona

[Barry Churcher]

My son is getting married in Italy this summer, in a small village about an hour from Ortona. Janet and I would like to see anything related to the Canadians in that area. We know about the monument in Ortona (from another MLU thread) and the cemetery south of Ortona. Anything else? We will have limited time for travel as we will only be there for a week. We would have had a longer holiday but when I mentioned how close I was to Beltring and Dirk, Janet thought it would be the perfect time to fly to Amsterdam and drive to Beltring with Dirk. I thought at first she was joking but she was serious. Now I am flying round trip, Toronto-Amsterdam, and round trip Amsterdam -Rome. Janet will fly round trip Toronto - Rome. What a gal.
Brian Gough has agreed to go also so he has to get a flight arranged from his cottage in P.E.I. to Toronto and then from Toronto to Amsterdam, arriving the same day as me so Dirk doesn't have to make too many trips to Schipol. That will have to wait for now as Brian is soaking up the sun and drinking Corona in Los Cobos Mexico. I want to pack as much in the Italy part as possible for Janet's sake, so can anyone help?
Barry

[klambie]

http://www.wlu.ca/lcmsds/book%20sale...ooks/0055.html

[Dirk Leegwater (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Barry Churcher

.....now I am flying round trip, Toronto-Amsterdam, and round trip Amsterdam -Rome......

When you have a stop-over in Amsterdam, maybe time for a coffee or a beer ?

Dirk

[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