B74110 In Newspaper photo wearing Balmoral

KIA Dec 31, 1943 Page 489 Dileas. Cpl Yeoman was killed during the advance to attack the German forces retreating after they had abandoned the fight in Ortona.

Prior to the advance the 48th Highlanders had penetrated over a kilometer behind the German lines, west of the town of Ortona where the house to house fighting was raging. The 48th penetration, in the night, undetected, on the night of 23/24 December was to threaten the only road in and out of Ortona that was available to the German forces. The 48th , having established an all-round defence, they fought off repeated German assaults, with few casualties for two days then with the arrival of three tanks, also led through German lines undetected, they drove the Germans from their positions, forcing a retreat. The next day the Germans began to abandon Ortona. Casualties while chasing the Germans were high, just demonstrating that attacking was more dangerous than defending. Canadian forces since their landing in Sicily had been on the attack.