THE VALLEY OF THE ISONZO AND THE MOUNTAINS ON THE EASTERN SIDE FROM MONTE KUK TO MONTE SAN GABRIELE
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/opening-of-the-offensive-dbn3czcrl?utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=newsletter_118&utm_medium=email&utm_content=118_September%2027,%202017&CMP=TNLEmail_118918_2318043_118
Opening of the offensive
The whole Italian front is spectacular to an extraordinary degree, and it is generally possible to get views of an action, or even wide panoramas, such as are rarely visible to an observer in modern war
May 17, 1917
An Italian offensive on a big scale started on Monday after a preliminary bombardment of 56 hours, and by yesterday evening considerable results had been obtained. The bombardment extended along a front of over 25 miles from Tolmino to the sea, and the Austrian positions were very heavily pounded. The enemy seemed to expect the main Italian effort to be made on the Carso and the hills east of Gorizia, and on this front had massed at least 1,600 guns. His policy hitherto has always been to reserve his artillery fire until the Italian infantry attack developed, but on this occasion he displayed greater activity - to the south of Gorizia at least. There was relatively little counter battery fire, but he devoted considerable attention to the Italian observation posts, and occasionally searched the roads with shrapnel. To the north of Monte Sabotino the Austrian batteries spoke seldom.
The whole Italian front is spectacular to an extraordinary degree, and it is generally possible to get views of an action, or even wide panoramas, such as are rarely visible to an observer in modern war. The last few days were no exception to this rule, and I had a perfect view of the chief Italian attack, which took place on the Plava sector. In this region the Isonzo runs down swiftly between steep bills, and the enemy held the entire left bank with the exception of the Plava bridgehead, which was seized by the Italians in the first weeks of the war.
The bridgehead is of very limited extent. Repeated attempts to enlarge it had been met by very stubborn resistance, and the position till two days ago had remained little changed. By Sunday night the very accurate fire of the Italian big guns and trench mortars had smashed up the Austrian positions. Raiding parties had gone in the first line trenches and brought back handfuls of stunned and hungry prisoners. On Monday morning the Isonzo was bridged below Plava almost opposite Zagora, and at 11.15 the infantry began to cross. The narrow gorge of the Isonzo filled at once with shrapnel clouds, and big shells began to fall all about the crossing place, but the stream of infantry never ceased, though often it slackened, and for a moment almost failed. At 11.30 the Italian trench mortars redoubled their efforts. Half an hour later their metallic bang ceased to dominate the uproar, but a new note was added to the clamour of the guns and the whistle and rumble of shells that sailed overhead. Machine-guns broke into a furious clatter as the Italians launched their attack.
The storming of Monte Kuk
Three thousand three hundred and seventy-five prisoners have already been counted, including 90 officers. Generally speaking, they were in a deplorable condition
May 18, 1917
The following is a continuation of the dispatch from our Correspondent at Italian Headquarters which was published in The Times yesterday. It carries on the narration of the events from Monday, when the battle opened, to Tuesday, when the Italians carried the summit of Monte Kuk.
A great part of the first-line trenches fell immediately, atid the Italians swarmed up the steep wooded slopes of Monte Kuk, on the northern half of the long ridge that ends above Gorizia in the famous Monte Santo. The two main summits of Kuk are about 1,800ft above the Isonzo, and the ascent is very abrupt, but on the right the Italians came very quickly to the Austrian second line which ran along the hillside, about 800ft above the river. Here there was a check. The attack was faced by a cluster of three strong redoubts, which looked like rubbish heaps but bristled with machine-guns. And on the left at Zagora the southern limit of the old bridgehead, the Austrian front line was still holding. The battle seemed, to hold its breath for a moment, and, as I moved back to another point of vantage, the cuckoo shouted in the woods behind. Iater in the afternoon the attack was renewed. Nearly all the second line fell, and one of the three redoubts was stormed, but the others resisted successfully, and the Austrians still clung tenaciously to the positions, though the attack threatened to overwhelm them.
On Tuesday morning a counter-attack retook the lost redoubt, but only for a moment. The Italians succeeded in working round the flanks and capturing the whole position. Very many Austrians lay dead in the shattered lines, and a large number of prisoners were taken. A little after midday the northern summit of Kuk was taken by the Florence Brigade advancing from the neighbourhood of the old bridgehead, and about the same time the remainder of the crest was occupied by the Avellino Infantry Brigade, which had taken the three redoubts. At 4 o’clock the Austrians counter-attacked against the southern summit, and the Italians were momentarily driven off, but in 20 minutes they were on the crest again, and the enemy were being pressed back down from the ridge of the hill and along the ridge towards the neighbouring peaks of Vodice. A little later I could see sappers working on the new positions. Kuk was definitely occupied.
Kuk was the first objective of the Italian attack and the centre point of interest on the long line, but considerable progress that promises well for the future was made in other directions. The most important of these, perhaps, was the crossing of the Isonzo between Tolmino and Plava. The Italians crossed at 2 o’clock yesterday morning, and succeeded in establishing themselves on a line about two miles in width. The formidable looking Austrian defences - many of them cut in the rock - which I had seen a few days before, were split and torn open by the overwhelming fire of the bombards, and the crossing of the river was effected more easily than had been expected.
PROGRESS NEAR GORIZIA
There was an extraordinary difference in the aspect of the battle above and below the gorge that divides the Sabotino and Monte Santo. To the north in the narrow valley, of the Middle Isonzo the scene had a real if terrible beauty. The narrow valley green with woods, the lofty crags of the Sabotino, the grey-blue waters of the Isonzo swollen with the melting of snows, the fleecy shrapnel clouds, the towering plumes of bursting shells combined to present a magnificent spectacle. And the sight of the advancing troops crossing the river and scaling the heights stirred the blood.
In the Gorizia plain and on the Carso the ugliness of war was supreme. As the artillery duel increased in fierceness Monte San Gabriele disappeared in a brown and hideous fog, The bare red hills of San Marco, that once were clothed with trees, became a mass of rusty volcano spouts. The Carso was overlaid with an even pall of dust and shell smoke, through which the fresh bursts of shrapnel, the arrival of great shells, or the explosion of small ammunition dumps showed but faintly. A notable feature of the action in the northern sector of the line was the extreme accuracy of the Italian artillery fire. The bombardment did not seem intense - it was markedly less furious than during the Carso actions last year - but almost every shot told.
Three thousand three hundred and seventy-five prisoners have already been counted, including 90 officers. Generally speaking, they were in a deplorable condition. They were stupefied by the bombardment, and many of those taken yesterday afternoon had had nothing to eat for two days. They varied in age from 18 to over 50, and there was the usual mixture of nationalities glad to be captured.
As I have said, the battle has not yet completed the first phase, but the opening moves have been carried out with complete success. The infantry showed the greatest dash and persistence, and when the inevitable counter-attacks came they were immovable.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/italy-moves-77cx6sqfw?utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=newsletter_118&utm_medium=email&utm_content=118_September%2027,%202017&CMP=TNLEmail_118918_2318043_118
A great part of the first-line trenches fell immediately, atid the Italians swarmed up the steep wooded slopes of Monte Kuk, on the northern half of the long ridge that ends above Gorizia in the famous Monte Santo. The two main summits of Kuk are about 1,800ft above the Isonzo, and the ascent is very abrupt, but on the right the Italians came very quickly to the Austrian second line which ran along the hillside, about 800ft above the river. Here there was a check. The attack was faced by a cluster of three strong redoubts, which looked like rubbish heaps but bristled with machine-guns. And on the left at Zagora the southern limit of the old bridgehead, the Austrian front line was still holding. The battle seemed, to hold its breath for a moment, and, as I moved back to another point of vantage, the cuckoo shouted in the woods behind. Iater in the afternoon the attack was renewed. Nearly all the second line fell, and one of the three redoubts was stormed, but the others resisted successfully, and the Austrians still clung tenaciously to the positions, though the attack threatened to overwhelm them.
On Tuesday morning a counter-attack retook the lost redoubt, but only for a moment. The Italians succeeded in working round the flanks and capturing the whole position. Very many Austrians lay dead in the shattered lines, and a large number of prisoners were taken. A little after midday the northern summit of Kuk was taken by the Florence Brigade advancing from the neighbourhood of the old bridgehead, and about the same time the remainder of the crest was occupied by the Avellino Infantry Brigade, which had taken the three redoubts. At 4 o’clock the Austrians counter-attacked against the southern summit, and the Italians were momentarily driven off, but in 20 minutes they were on the crest again, and the enemy were being pressed back down from the ridge of the hill and along the ridge towards the neighbouring peaks of Vodice. A little later I could see sappers working on the new positions. Kuk was definitely occupied.
Kuk was the first objective of the Italian attack and the centre point of interest on the long line, but considerable progress that promises well for the future was made in other directions. The most important of these, perhaps, was the crossing of the Isonzo between Tolmino and Plava. The Italians crossed at 2 o’clock yesterday morning, and succeeded in establishing themselves on a line about two miles in width. The formidable looking Austrian defences - many of them cut in the rock - which I had seen a few days before, were split and torn open by the overwhelming fire of the bombards, and the crossing of the river was effected more easily than had been expected.
PROGRESS NEAR GORIZIA
Useful progress was made in other parts of the line, especially by the Messina Brigade on the low hills and on the slopes of Monte Santo, east of Gorizia, but until the publication of the official communique it is not permitted to indicate the course of the action in detail.
In the Gorizia plain and on the Carso the ugliness of war was supreme. As the artillery duel increased in fierceness Monte San Gabriele disappeared in a brown and hideous fog, The bare red hills of San Marco, that once were clothed with trees, became a mass of rusty volcano spouts. The Carso was overlaid with an even pall of dust and shell smoke, through which the fresh bursts of shrapnel, the arrival of great shells, or the explosion of small ammunition dumps showed but faintly. A notable feature of the action in the northern sector of the line was the extreme accuracy of the Italian artillery fire. The bombardment did not seem intense - it was markedly less furious than during the Carso actions last year - but almost every shot told.
Three thousand three hundred and seventy-five prisoners have already been counted, including 90 officers. Generally speaking, they were in a deplorable condition. They were stupefied by the bombardment, and many of those taken yesterday afternoon had had nothing to eat for two days. They varied in age from 18 to over 50, and there was the usual mixture of nationalities glad to be captured.
As I have said, the battle has not yet completed the first phase, but the opening moves have been carried out with complete success. The infantry showed the greatest dash and persistence, and when the inevitable counter-attacks came they were immovable.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/italy-moves-77cx6sqfw?utm_source=newsletter&utm_campaign=newsletter_118&utm_medium=email&utm_content=118_September%2027,%202017&CMP=TNLEmail_118918_2318043_118
Italy moves
The seizure of the scarped crests of the Kuk and Vodice heights on the left bank of the Isonzo north of Gorizia was a fine feat of arms, of which the Italian Army may well be proud
May 22, 1917
(By Our Military Correspondent)
The Franco-British offensive, by attracting, and absorbing the German reserves, has greatly aided Italy. There was certainly a risk, before this event, that there might be an important Austro-German combination against Italy, and after the experience of last year General Cadorna could not ignore the risk. But now that so many German divisions in the West have had the stuffing knocked out of them, and so many more from the reserve have been drawn in to oppose us there is not much left for a fresh operation. The probability that the Anglo-French offensive will continue on the Somme lines throughout the summer, implacably and remorselessly, and the possibility that next month may see the Russian Armies at work, leave Italy increased freedom, and allow her once more to renew her attacks upon her old enemy, and with redoubled vigour.
Italy has not been idle during the winter. She has built up a very much larger Army, and has provided it with a greatly increased number of guns, and especially of heavy guns, amongst which some of our heavy howitzers are to be found. Though these howitzers are not taken from our superabundance, but rather from our necessities, this aid to Italy is very gratifying to us as a practical demonstration of unity of views and aims, to which unity the visits of Sir William Robertson and General Foch to Italy have certainly conduced. Germany must know that if she sends armies into Italy we Franco- British shall follow them there, and the Trentino is not such an attractive base for large armies that Hindenburg with pine to use it for this purpose.
THE ENEMY STRENGTH
Austria is a trifle stronger on the Italian front than she was last year at this season, but not appreciably stronger. There has been no great concentration against Italy as yet. Austria has some 36 divisions in the Italian theatre of war, and of these there may be 16 divisions on the Isonzo front. Italy is stronger than her enemy in men and guns. She has probably forestalled an Austrian plan of attack. On May 12 an Italian bombardment began along the whole front of the middle and lower Isonzo from Tolmino to the sea. The Austrian reply was feeble on the 12th, better on the 13th, and heavy on the 14th. In the course of the 55 hours of the Italian artillery preparation such excellent results were obtained that the infantry attacks, both real and demonstrative, were launched on a front of nearly 40 miles, and General Cadorna’s preliminary objectives were everywhere attained.
We are evidently only at the beginning of a most important operation, which has already extended southwards to the east of Gorizia, where the hardy Sicilians are at work. The preliminary success has been splendid. It gives to the Italians not only the western gateways to the plateau, but also the observation over the ground to the east and south-east of Vodice, including the whole of the rear or eastward face of Monte Santo, and the exits from the curious sunken valley of the Pustala, which is probably much used by the Austrians as a line of communications. By this time we may have reasonable hope that the Florence and Avellino Brigades, and the supports which will have joined them, will be secure against counter-attack, and that the advance against Monte-Santo may eventually proceed in the methodical manner which:alone promises success.
AN EXCELLENT START
The things which strike us most about this operation are the absolute silence maintained in Italy regarding it, the excellence of the plan of attack, the careful preparation of the artillery for its mission, the dash of the infantry, and its hardihood in defending the positions won against ceaseless counter-attacks before the ground could have been prepared for defence. We must not, however, expect, even if only a fraction of the Italian forces has been engaged, that rapid and sweeping victories are imminent. The Austrians are fairly strong, the positions still to be taken are very defensible, and reserves of men and guns are sure to be thrown in on the Austrian side until Brusiloff calls them, as he did last year, to other fields.
This hard war is perhaps hardest of all on this tangled, hilly, and almost mountainous front. It takes a long time for each successive stage of an attack to be prepared and launched, and actions do not proceed so fast as our thoughts and our hopes picture them. What is of real and, indeed, supreme importance is that General Cadorna, in whose leading we have learnt to place great confidence, has deployed large forces for a general offensive, that he has thought well and struck hard, and that the half of the whole Austro-Hungarian Army is now engaged and held fast upon the Italian front. These circumstances gravely hamper Hindenburg’s future plans, and promise to make . the Russian task, already lightened by the events of Arras and the Aisne, still more easy.
Italy has proved herself to be a good comrade, and her fighters have shown themselves to be capable of executing the most arduous missions that can be confided to troops. What can we say more for any Army?
The Franco-British offensive, by attracting, and absorbing the German reserves, has greatly aided Italy. There was certainly a risk, before this event, that there might be an important Austro-German combination against Italy, and after the experience of last year General Cadorna could not ignore the risk. But now that so many German divisions in the West have had the stuffing knocked out of them, and so many more from the reserve have been drawn in to oppose us there is not much left for a fresh operation. The probability that the Anglo-French offensive will continue on the Somme lines throughout the summer, implacably and remorselessly, and the possibility that next month may see the Russian Armies at work, leave Italy increased freedom, and allow her once more to renew her attacks upon her old enemy, and with redoubled vigour.
Italy has not been idle during the winter. She has built up a very much larger Army, and has provided it with a greatly increased number of guns, and especially of heavy guns, amongst which some of our heavy howitzers are to be found. Though these howitzers are not taken from our superabundance, but rather from our necessities, this aid to Italy is very gratifying to us as a practical demonstration of unity of views and aims, to which unity the visits of Sir William Robertson and General Foch to Italy have certainly conduced. Germany must know that if she sends armies into Italy we Franco- British shall follow them there, and the Trentino is not such an attractive base for large armies that Hindenburg with pine to use it for this purpose.
THE ENEMY STRENGTH
Austria is a trifle stronger on the Italian front than she was last year at this season, but not appreciably stronger. There has been no great concentration against Italy as yet. Austria has some 36 divisions in the Italian theatre of war, and of these there may be 16 divisions on the Isonzo front. Italy is stronger than her enemy in men and guns. She has probably forestalled an Austrian plan of attack. On May 12 an Italian bombardment began along the whole front of the middle and lower Isonzo from Tolmino to the sea. The Austrian reply was feeble on the 12th, better on the 13th, and heavy on the 14th. In the course of the 55 hours of the Italian artillery preparation such excellent results were obtained that the infantry attacks, both real and demonstrative, were launched on a front of nearly 40 miles, and General Cadorna’s preliminary objectives were everywhere attained.
The seizure of the scarped crests of the Kuk and Vodice heights on the left bank of the Isonzo north of Gorizia was a fine feat of arms, of which the Italian Army may well be proud. These dominating positions, rising to 611 metres at Kuk and to 652 at Vodice, covered by the Isonzo, and scarred by trenches, galleries, and batteries in every direction, might well have appeared unassailable to the Austrian commanders. They were nevertheless stormed, are still held, and all counter-attacks have been repulsed, while Italian infantry have established themselves on the slopes of Monte Santo, which height, with San Gabriele, respectively 632 and 646 metres above the sea, forms the western cuirass of the plateau which dominates Gorizia and prevents the extension of the Italian Carso front to the north.
AN EXCELLENT START
The things which strike us most about this operation are the absolute silence maintained in Italy regarding it, the excellence of the plan of attack, the careful preparation of the artillery for its mission, the dash of the infantry, and its hardihood in defending the positions won against ceaseless counter-attacks before the ground could have been prepared for defence. We must not, however, expect, even if only a fraction of the Italian forces has been engaged, that rapid and sweeping victories are imminent. The Austrians are fairly strong, the positions still to be taken are very defensible, and reserves of men and guns are sure to be thrown in on the Austrian side until Brusiloff calls them, as he did last year, to other fields.
This hard war is perhaps hardest of all on this tangled, hilly, and almost mountainous front. It takes a long time for each successive stage of an attack to be prepared and launched, and actions do not proceed so fast as our thoughts and our hopes picture them. What is of real and, indeed, supreme importance is that General Cadorna, in whose leading we have learnt to place great confidence, has deployed large forces for a general offensive, that he has thought well and struck hard, and that the half of the whole Austro-Hungarian Army is now engaged and held fast upon the Italian front. These circumstances gravely hamper Hindenburg’s future plans, and promise to make . the Russian task, already lightened by the events of Arras and the Aisne, still more easy.
Italy has proved herself to be a good comrade, and her fighters have shown themselves to be capable of executing the most arduous missions that can be confided to troops. What can we say more for any Army?
No comments:
Post a Comment