| The Problem Solved |
| June 12th 1915: The sun rose early in the morning, it was a clear cloudless sky and very quiet although occasionally one could hear a rifle shot. Italian heavy artillery had not yet started firing. Both sides were enjoying breakfast. Unknown to the Italians� behind hill �Costa Alta� within Austrian defence lines (at Millegrobbe) a small group of Austrian soldiers and officers were very busy. |
| Heavy shells were being moved, and powder cans loaded. Two Austrian observation officers were looking at topographical maps while communicating on a field telephone. One officer raised his head�. heavy winds were coming from the South. He looked at his trajectory tables and thought ��it will be difficult but we�ll try our best�. |
| At the same time two Italian officers in the observation turret of Fort Verena were getting bored, not much was happening. Every day hundreds sometimes over a thousand medium and heavy shells bombarded Austrian fortifications yet the forts couldn�t be destroyed. When Italian infantry attacked, it seemed like every hole in the mountain opened up a mouth fire! There was little if any territorial gain and the losses in human life were staggering. In his binoculars one officer viewed the heavy destruction inflicted on the Austrian forts, almost all of Luserna�s gun turrets were destroyed���only one of the four seemed to be operational. |
| He put down his binoculars , looking to his comrade: What�s that? -Do you hear it? From the other side something was coming over, there was a deep roar in the air, seconds later, the sound changed into a high whistling��. There was no time to ask ,no time to discuss.no time for explanation. Suddenly, there was a tremendous explosion in front of Fort Verena , it shuttered like being in an earthquake. Flying rocks, stones, a fiery heat blast followed by rising smoke made one of the officers cry to heaven. It was an incredible blast and the first time either of the officers had seen anything like it. |
| The first shot fell short. The Austrians busied themselves making elevation adjustments. Soon a second M11 was sighted in and fired. Once again the mountains amplified a sound like a huge hornet buzzing its way to Fort Verena. Seconds later, the shell impacted behind the fort��..too far! On both sides soldiers were raising their heads from the trenches. This was a new sound, never heard before! And now it was becoming regular, every three or four minutes! One hit against Fort Campolongo then another to Fort Verena. The two Italian Forts were 5 Km from each other yet the impact of the shells was easy to observe.. They came closer and closer���.. Someone said it was the fifth shell someone said it was the seventh shell but there was a direct hit on Fort Verena. Hitting behind the third turret it penetrated 2 meters of concrete like paper , travelling down to the gallery then exploding�.: Forty men died instantly together with their commander captain Umberto Trucchetti, (2/3 of the squad died in less than a second!), Ammunition started to explode in the casemates almost blowing the fort in half!! Survivors were fleeing.. |
| Soldiers were climbing out of their trenches, no one was even thinking about shooting�. everyone was still in shock. On the hill of Costa Alta the two Austrian officers were smiling, and thinking �job well done�. The mortar being perfectly adjusted it was time for a coffee break!. . |
| Artillery duels continued between both sides until May 1916 when the large Austrian offensive, called the �Strafexpedition� or �punishment expedition� commenced. |
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