Battlefield in the clouds

[tomisitt]

I’ve just returned from the Dolomites, where I climbed Croda Rossa (aka Sextener Rotwand), a pretty challenging via ferrata that follows the Italian route up to their positions at 2800m (9200ft). Thought you might be interested in some snaps:

Cima Undici, seen from the Croda Rossa

The remains of an Italian barrack at 9200ft. There’s a sheer drop of 1200ft if you slip off this ledge.

 

The view from the Italian barrack

 

The Austrians clung on to a small peak of the Croda Rossa, but it was a vital observation post that controlled all the valleys around it.

 

Italian position on Croda Rossa, with Cima Undici in the background.

I’ll post a few more, shortly.

[pierssc]

As always, fabulous photos.  Keep them coming please!

[tomisitt]

A few more:

The Italian barrack on the Cengia Alpini, 9200ft.

 

Italian WW1 watertank. 

 

Italian HQ at the foot of Croda Rossa

[charlie962]

Superb, although making me giddy. In the past when you've posted such photos I couldn't and still cannot work out how men can fight under these conditions.

Charlie

[tomisitt]

1 hour ago, charlie962 said:

Superb, although making me giddy. In the past when you've posted such photos I couldn't and still cannot work out how men can fight under these conditions.

Charlie

One Italian soldier (named Giovanni Coutandin) actually survived falling off Cima Undici…twice!

[Fattyowls]

2 hours ago, charlie962 said:

Superb, although making me giddy

Me too. Even by Tom's high standards these are phenomenal.

Pete.

[Michelle Young]

Incredible photos, though I agree they make me queasy looking at the heights and the thought of the sheer drops. 

[tomisitt]

And some random photos from my trip to Italy:

Italian wire on the slopes of Cima Presena, the Presenella in the background. Two weeks ago the melting ice near here revealed a cache of 800 medium-calibre artillery shells and a dozen Austrian soldiers buried in a mass grave.

Veliki vrh (Quota 464), Austria-Hungary’s last line of defence on the Carso and scene of 12 months of suicidal frontal assaults by the Italians. Recent forest fires have detonated UXOs from WW1 (a Slovenian fire-crew was narrowly missed by flying shell splinters) but revealed  trenches and war detritus lost in the undergrowth.

 

Trenches on the hills of the Doberdo Carso, outside Monfalcone. And my four-legged research assistant.

 

[Tom Kilkenny]

Inspired by Tom's peregrinations I sought out some writing about the Italian Front and discovered Emilio Lussu's A Soldier on the Southern Front.  Superb!  Thanks Tom.

Edited 21 August , 2022 by Tom Kilkenny

[Fattyowls]

2 hours ago, tomisitt said:

And my four-legged research assistant

He'll never let you down. Looks like a top dog.

It's interesting about the forest fires setting off ordnance. I thought of this in relation to Verdun where the forests hide vast amounts of unexploded stuff. A well known Verdun expert told me that there has been a lot of logging because of bark beetle or some other infestation and the cleared areas have regrown with brush. In 40 degree temperatures it could be very dangerous for the sappeur pompiers if it went on fire. I don't know what the French is for 'disposable barbecue' is but hopefully they have been withdrawn from sale.

I'm still finding the photos fabulous and frightening in equal measure...

Pete.

[charlie962]

16 hours ago, tomisitt said:

The view from the Italian barrack

That captures the dilemma.

It's not just a question of physical ability to fight in such conditions. How can any man want to fight in such an uplifting environment? 

But then they fought above the clouds in aeroplanes.

I keep having to go back over your photos.

Research assistant sensibly stays on the flat? 

Charlie

[Toontraveller]

Thank you for posting, really impressive photographs and thought provoking about how they fought in that environment. Very scary.

Always need to have a good research assistant. 

[tomisitt]

3 hours ago, charlie962 said:

Research assistant sensibly stays on the flat? 

Actually, both research assistants are quite at home at altitude. Here they are at just over 3000m on the Cima Presena (Italian front line positions in the Adamello sector). Unfortunately his lack of opposable thumbs makes him a poor belay partner, and my wife is 50kg so isn't the idea belay partner, either.

[charlie962]

Haha! Must be hard on the pads though?

[tomisitt]

9 minutes ago, charlie962 said:

Haha! Must be hard on the pads though?

He doesn't seem to have any problems. We have regular pad inspections, just to be sure.

[charlie962]

4 minutes ago, tomisitt said:

regular pad inspections

Quite right. Look after the troops.

[Coldstreamer]

For someone whose world war history is very much limited to the Coldstream Guards and trench warfare these are very interesting photos. I think from memory only a full of coldstreamers  served in the Italian theatre 

Thanks for sharing

[EAST YORKSHIRE]

Certainly puts a new slant on "going over the top".

[tomisitt]

21 hours ago, Tom Kilkenny said:

Inspired by Tom's peregrinations I sought out some writing about the Italian Front and discovered Emilio Lussu's A Soldier on the Southern Front.  Superb!  Thanks Tom.

I love Lussu. After the war he became a socialist MP in Sardinia, where he was repeatedly attacked and beaten by fascist gangs. On the fifth occasion he killed one of his attackers. He was sent to jail, but escaped and fled to Paris, where he wrote his amazing book. Then he joined the International Brigades and went off to Spain to fight more fascists. Incredible bloke.

[deutscherinfanteriest]

Forza Paris! Sassari Brigade

1 hour ago, tomisitt said:

I love Lussu. After the war he became a socialist MP in Sardinia, where he was repeatedly attacked and beaten by fascist gangs. On the fifth occasion he killed one of his attackers. He was sent to jail, but escaped and fled to Paris, where he wrote his amazing book. Then he joined the International Brigades and went off to Spain to fight more fascists. Incredible bloke.

[deutscherinfanteriest]

Early assaulting teams, Trincea delle Frasche sector, 1915

Men from Sassari Brigade on Monte Zebio 1916

General Musinu, who wants him as grandpa? He was a brave soldier, he left as last Italian soldier the right bank of Piave river and never tought to money or politics... he never met Mussolini. Still when he passed away at 101, he said that he did simply his duty and he was a common soldier as the others, and he preferred a defensive war, because war msut be avoided, it is a sad fact (he got wounded seven times)

Two Heroes from 3rd Battalion 151st Infantry Regiment

152° Fanteria's Commander

Sassari Brigade's Flag that flutters still today

 

[tomisitt]

Some lovely Sassari photos there, thanks!

[deutscherinfanteriest]

The red white called "Dimonios" (devils) by the Austrians. Somebody says "Red Devils". We will see them on Isonzo gameplay next 13th September