Oct 08, 2008 - 09:20 AM

By Crystal Crimi

DURHAM -- Dubbed "The Forgotten Battle" of the Second World War, Ortona will become anything but forgotten to Durham students.

This November, 1,200 Canadian students, including 400 from Durham, are heading to Ortona, Italy to honour and remember the Canadian soldiers who fought and died there.

The 1943, eight-day fight against German forces cost 1,300-plus Canadian soldiers their lives - more than on D-Day, but it often ends up being overlooked, said David Robinson, the official event co-ordinator of 'Remembering Ortona' and head of Canadian and World Studies at Port Perry High School.

"It was not only house-to-house fighting, it was room to room," Mr. Robinson said.

Fighting through Christmas Day, the Canadian soldiers ended up victorious in the battle, and provided urban warfare lessons used during D-Day and in other battles, Mr. Robinson said.

"The Italian campaign is basically called the 'Forgotten Campaign' because D-Day gets all the press," Mr. Robinson said.

Responsible for student trips to Vimy Ridge, Hong Kong, and other significant Second World War sites, he began working on the Ortona project after various veterans asked him to bring it to the attention of youth.

In school, there's only a small mention of it in history class, and even in Italy, many people outside Ortona don't know about the battle, Mr. Robinson said.

But the people inside Ortona remember.

"The town of Ortona has never really recovered," Mr. Robinson said.

During the war, the townspeople hid their valuables in Ortona's cathedral, which was completely destroyed by the Germans, Mr. Robinson said. Ortona was a main port, so the German's knocked buildings into the streets to stop tanks from getting through. Most of the town's men were also killed or drafted to Africa during the battle, he said.

"The town, the city, if you look at the pictures you'll understand - total devastation," Mr. Robinson said.

The 1,200 Canadian students visiting Ortona will make up the biggest group of any kind that's ever visited the town, Mr. Robinson said.

Students will recreate the famous Christmas dinner, eaten by Canadians soldiers in shifts at the local church while Christmas music played, Mr. Robinson said.

They'll also participate in a memorial ceremony at Moro Cemetery, then walk the same route into Ortona the soldiers did - for which the highway will be closed. They'll march to the city square in front of the cathedral for a ceremony with city officials and participate in other things to honour the Canadian soldiers.

Two days later, they'll go to St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican for a mass in honour of all Canadian soldiers who have fallen in battle. The students will actively participate in the mass, performing the duties of alter boys and girls.

In Italy, school groups will also tour other historic locations.

"In the past, we've found for many of the students it's a life-changing event, and definitely memories for a life-time," Mr. Robinson said. "They grow overnight; they're more mature and more experienced."

Many students work a whole year preparing for the trip, completing fundraising and researching dead soldiers. By the time they get in front of their grave, it's like they know them, he said.

Through the Hands Across A Generation Remembrance Program, every student will be matched with a soldier from Afghanistan and Ortona to represent as well, he said.