ah fortifications @ Italian border

[Guest Landro]

Hello,

I am looking for some ideas/help for my research regarding k.u.k. fortifications built along the austro-hungarian/italian border.

The last years I did substential research in the Kriegsarchiv in Vienna. Now heaving moved to London I would like to check if there is anything in British archives regarding that topic. I don't expect to much, but it's worth a try.

Two starting points for me would be at the moment:

>>> pre-war and wartime espionage documents

>>> documents/pictures of the final days of the war. As I found out ("The British Army in Italy 1917-1918 by Wilks&Wilks) - the British 48th division (part of the XII corps) (4th + 6th Gloucesters, 5th Warwickshire are mentioned) moved up the Val d'Assa Vally towards Passo Vezzena starting 1.11.1918.

In the Passo Vezzena area were the most modern ah fortifications (building started 1908).

After the ah offensive in 1916 these fortifications were far away from the frontline and got completly renewed. In this shape they remained until the end of the war.

My assumption is now that these fortifications must have had attracted the interest of the British units (though there was complete chaos in that area) . So there is a chance to find something in documents or even fotos.

???? >>>> now my question is - where to start my research? -- I would try the PRO and the Imperial War Museum at first ---- are there any other suggestions where I maybe find something? Or any suggestions about particular collections within these archives?

Thank you for your help!!!

landro

[Guest lorax]

if you find any info on stella fort near asiago, i would be grateful as my g g uncle was killed in a raid on it in 1918

[Paul Hederer]

Ladro,

I would give IWM London a try... they have a huge amount of materials, including a lot of foreign related and foreign languge stuff.

Paul

[mebu]

Landro, you may well find some relevant information in the files of the Royal Engineers who were attached to the British Divisions in Italy, for each Division there should be diaries of 3 Field Companies and a Chief Engineer. These are at PRO, Kew, in the WO 95 series. There are probably copies also at the RE Corps Library at Brompton, near Rochester. Hope this helps, Peter.

[domsim]

Hi Landro

The PRO at Kew has a lot of maps of the Italian campaign in the class WO 369

Some pieces which might interest you (but might be a bit small scale?):

WO 369/11 Covers 1:25 000 (Italian) series Topographical maps listed on p 3 of WO 1925 Index [piece 3] from Cordignano [piece 209] to Val d'Assa [piece 229] Also marked in green are the Italian maps showing Enemy Defences in the Isonzo Front covered by Graphic Index [piece 13] Without date

WO 369/229 Val d'Assa Sheet Number Parts of Sheets 36 & 37 Ed No 3 Production: compiled/produced: Redrawn map in grey with integral Lambert grid by 6th FSC (549) Date corrected or O/P 23.06.18

WO 369/359 Val d'Assa: [Hostile Battery Positions established up to] 22 May 1918 [Artillery Map] Parts of Sheets 36 & 37 Ed No 2 TL-E Production: compiled/produced 6th FSC (481) Date corrected or O/P 22.05.18 15.05.18

WO 369/360 Val d'Assa: [Hostile Battery Positions established up to] 10 Jun 1918 [Artillery Map] Parts of Sheets 36 & 37 Ed No 2 TL-E Production: compiled/produced 6th FSC (527) Date corrected or O/P 10.06.18 15.05.18

WO 369/361 Val d'Assa: [Hostile Battery Positions established up to] 25 Jun 1918 [Artillery Map] Parts of Sheets 36 & 37 Ed No 2 TL-E Production: compiled/produced 6th FSC (553) Date corrected or O/P 25.06.18 15.05.18

WO 369/362 Val d'Assa: [Hostile Battery Positions established up to] 9 Jul 1918 [Artillery Map] Parts of Sheets 36 & 37 Ed No 3 TL-E Production: compiled/produced 6th FSC (573) Date corrected or O/P 08.07.18 23.06.18

WO 369/363 Val d'Assa: [Hostile Battery Positions up to] 24 Jul 1918 [Artillery Map] Parts of Sheets 36 & 37 Ed No 3 TL-E Production: compiled/produced 6th FSC (606) Date corrected or O/P 25.07.18 23.06.18

WO 369/364 Val d'Assa: [Hostile Battery Positions established up to] 12 Aug 1918 [Artillery Map] Parts of Sheets 36 & 37 Ed No 3 TL-E Production: compiled/produced 6th FSC (679) Date corrected or O/P 12.08.18 23.06.18

WO 369/365 Val d'Assa: [Hostile Battery Positions established up to] 30 Aug 1918 [Artillery Map] Parts of Sheets 36 & 37 Ed No 3 TL-E Production: compiled/produced 6th FSC (679) Date corrected or O/P 01.09.18 23.06.18

WO 369/366 Val d'Assa: [Hostile Battery Positions established up to] 30 Sep 1918 [Artillery Map] Parts of Sheets 36 & 37 Ed No 3 TL-E Production: compiled/produced 6th FSC (726) Date corrected or O/P 27.09.18 23.06.18

WO 369/388 Val d'Assa: Target Map compiled from air-photos and confirmed reports to 2 May 1918 Sheet Number Fo 36 I-SE & Fo 37 IV-SO Ed No 1 TL-E Production: compiled/produced Compiled by Intelligence, GHQ, Italy, and printed by Army Printing and Stationery Services (353) on Carta d'Italia base map by Istituto Geografico Militare reprinted by 6th Field Survey Coy RE (449) Date corrected or O/P 08. 02.04.18

WO 369/389 Extension Slip to Val d'Assa Target Map Edition 1 Sheet Number Fo 36 I-NE & Fo 37 IV-NO Ed No 1 TL-E Production: compiled/produced As piece 388. Produced by FSC (450) and printed by APSS (355) Date corrected or O/P 08.05.18 08.05.18

WO 369/390 Val d'Assa: Target Map compiled from aeroplane photographs and reports to 29 May 1918 Sheet Number Fo 36 I-SE & Fo 37 IV-SO Ed No 2 TL-E Production: compiled/produced As piece 388. Produced by FSC (508) and printed by APSS (458) Date corrected or O/P 03.06. 02.04.18

WO 369/391 Extension Slip to Val d'Assa Target Map Edition 2 Sheet Number Fo 36 I-NE Fo 37 IV-NO Ed No 2 TL-E Production: compiled/produced As piece 390. Produced by FSC (507) and printed by APSS (498) Date corrected or O/P 01.06.18 08.05.18

WO 369/392 Val d'Assa; Enemy's Concentration Areas and Routes used previous to Attack of 15 Jun 1918 determined from captured documents, prisoners' statements and photographs Parts of Sheets 36 & 37 Ed No 2 TL-E Production: compiled/produced Compiled by Intelligence, GHQ, Italy, and printed on redrawn base map in grey by 6th FSC (545) Date corrected or O/P 21. 15.05.18

WO 369/394 Val d'Assa: Target Map compiled from aeroplane photographs and reports to 11 Jul 1918 Sheet Number Fo 36 I-SE & Fo 37 IV-SO Ed No 3 TL - E Production: compiled/produced: As piece 388. Produced by FSC (580) and printed by APSS (355) Date corrected orO/P 13. 02.04.18

WO 369/395 Extension Slip to Val d'Assa Target Map Edition 3 Sheet Number Fo 36 I-NE & Fo 37 IV-NO Ed No 3 TL - E Production: compiled/produced: As piece 394. Produced by FSC (581) and printed by APSS (355) Date corrected or O/P 13.07.18 08.05.18

Mostly maps and replots of battery positions.

You can search the PRO archives here:

National archives search

Otherwise as other has mentioned Imperial war museum, may be RAF Museum at Hendon for aerial photos.

Hope this helps

Cheers

Dominic

[Guest bulgasari]

This might be of use - an Italian website about the forts:

http://www.magicoveneto.it/storia/fortezze...coAltipiani.htm

An autotranslator like http://world.altavista.com/ should be of help...