The Place of Small Stones: A Novel of the Battle of Ortona

by Grant Patterson

ITALY, 1943:

The Eighth Army pursues Hitler’s retreating forces up the boot of Italy, with Montgomery secretly hoping to beat Clark’s Fifth Army to Rome. Crucial to his plan is the Adriatic port of Ortona. And the unit he has picked to take this critical landmark is the First Canadian Division.

In the ranks of Canada’s “Red Patch Devils” is John Strachan, ne’er do well son of a Great War hero, put on the front lines as an alternative to disgrace at home; a thoroughly unlikely warrior. Soon, he and his comrades will have to rise to the occasion all the same; for the German paratroopers defending Ortona are fashioning a defensive citadel that will soon be known to the world as “Little Stalingrad,” a place where the work of centuries becomes a place of small stones, and only the quick and the ruthless survive.

Kindle Edition

Published December 18, 2023

About the author

Grant Patterson was born in Vancouver BC. He attended Simon Fraser University, and graduated in 1995 with a BA in Criminology. He retired from the Canada Border Services Agency in 2017, and lives in Delta with his wife and children. Grant has also lived and travelled extensively in Brazil, where his Will Bryant Thrillers are set.

He has been writing since 2012, and now has twenty-one published works. His bestselling works are A Life on the Line: My Unexpected Career with the Canada Border Services Agency, a memoir of his CBSA experiences, and Bomber's Moon, a novel set during the Bomber Command offensive against Nazi Germany.

Reviews

[Robert Reeve · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've lost count of the number of times I've been around the block, but I've never been familiarized with the Canadian conquest and bravery during The Battle of Ortona. Taking control of the eastern Italian port town from the Nazis, was crucial to the allies in order to initiate supply lines and troop infiltration. It's the story of John Strachan, a somewhat pampered Vancouver kid, whose father was a hero in WW1. The old man has seen enough softness, and sees to it that John is shipped off to Ortona to either harden up or be killed. John describes his experiences to the reader in a way that leaves us wondering how human beings can commit such acts upon each other. It's also an entertaining adventure that focuses on the camaraderie, courage, and guile of the Canadian soldiers, thousands of whom gave their lives to help defeat a ruthless enemy. A fascinating look at what our country has been through and should be a must read for today's youth.