Ghosts of Ortona: A Young Man's Journey Through An Old Man's War
‘The general gave us a talk. He said the more Germans you kill, the quicker you’re gonna get home.’

As a young anthropologist, Ian Cosh interviewed World War II veterans about a savage, little-known battle fought over Christmas 1943 between Canadian and German armies in the medieval Italian town of Ortona. When the project was finished, he tried to forget it and move on, but the men’s stories haunted him. Why was Sam working so hard on mapping a minor skirmish on graph paper? Why did Mel keep mentioning a Native sniper whom he hadn’t known? Why was Ted still haunted by the ghost of a church? Why did Bill have no memory of Christmas dinner when his comrades said he was there?

The Ghosts of Ortona is a brilliantly conceived, elegantly written study of the hidden traumas of WW2 related to killing soldiers and causing harm to civilians. Rich in dialogue, description, images, and empathy, it chronicles the life-long burdens of the men who fought and changes how we think about and remember veterans and war.

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Ghosts of Ortona: A Young Man's Journey Through An Old Man's War
‘The general gave us a talk. He said the more Germans you kill, the quicker you’re gonna get home.’

As a young anthropologist, Ian Cosh interviewed World War II veterans about a savage, little-known battle fought over Christmas 1943 between Canadian and German armies in the medieval Italian town of Ortona. When the project was finished, he tried to forget it and move on, but the men’s stories haunted him. Why was Sam working so hard on mapping a minor skirmish on graph paper? Why did Mel keep mentioning a Native sniper whom he hadn’t known? Why was Ted still haunted by the ghost of a church? Why did Bill have no memory of Christmas dinner when his comrades said he was there?

The Ghosts of Ortona is a brilliantly conceived, elegantly written study of the hidden traumas of WW2 related to killing soldiers and causing harm to civilians. Rich in dialogue, description, images, and empathy, it chronicles the life-long burdens of the men who fought and changes how we think about and remember veterans and war.

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Ghosts of Ortona: A Young Man's Journey Through An Old Man's War

Ghosts of Ortona: A Young Man's Journey Through An Old Man's War

by Ian Cosh
Ghosts of Ortona: A Young Man's Journey Through An Old Man's War

Ghosts of Ortona: A Young Man's Journey Through An Old Man's War

by Ian Cosh

Overview

‘The general gave us a talk. He said the more Germans you kill, the quicker you’re gonna get home.’

As a young anthropologist, Ian Cosh interviewed World War II veterans about a savage, little-known battle fought over Christmas 1943 between Canadian and German armies in the medieval Italian town of Ortona. When the project was finished, he tried to forget it and move on, but the men’s stories haunted him. Why was Sam working so hard on mapping a minor skirmish on graph paper? Why did Mel keep mentioning a Native sniper whom he hadn’t known? Why was Ted still haunted by the ghost of a church? Why did Bill have no memory of Christmas dinner when his comrades said he was there?

The Ghosts of Ortona is a brilliantly conceived, elegantly written study of the hidden traumas of WW2 related to killing soldiers and causing harm to civilians. Rich in dialogue, description, images, and empathy, it chronicles the life-long burdens of the men who fought and changes how we think about and remember veterans and war.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781998365968
Publisher: Sutherland House
Publication date: 11/11/2025
Pages: 400
Product dimensions: 8.98(w) x 6.00(h) x 0.00(d)

About the Author

Ian Cosh is is an applied anthropologist who lives in Toronto, Canada. He holds a Ph.D. in social anthropology from York University (Toronto) and a B.A. in history and anthropology from McGill University (Montreal).

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