CHAPTER XXXI
ITALY’S PART
Italy has fought many air battles. Her sons are men of the right mettle. Her beautiful cities have suffered from raids, but the enemy has been made to pay the price. Italian airmen have not only put up a strong defence, but have made their power felt far beyond Italian territory.
On September 13, 1916, enemy aircraft bombarded Venice, Pordenone (thirty-five miles north-east of Venice), Latisana, Marano, Cervignano, and Aquileia on the marshland between Venice and the Isonzo. The Italians replied with a raid on Trieste and Parenzo, in which French aviators took part. With the departure of heavy Capronis for Trieste, squadrons of seaplanes set out from sea-bases for Parenzo. Five French machines joined forces with eleven Italian seaplanes. Shortly after 5.30 p.m. the first of them were over Parenzo, dropping explosive and incendiary bombs on the enemy’s defence batteries and seaplanes station. Only one enemy ‘plane succeeded in getting off the water, and was immediately forced to come down by the attacks of the French aeroplanes and to take refuge among a squadron of Austrian torpedo-catchers, which continued to hug the coast. In spite of the lively fire of Austrian army gunners, all the allied aeroplanes returned to their bases. For a long time on their return journey could be seen the useful effects of the bombing carried out by the Italian and French pilots in broad daylight, the hangars and batteries being shrouded in the smoke from the fires. Scrupulous care was taken not to do damage to the unredeemed city. The Caproni squadron arrived over Trieste about 4 p.m., and, supported by other squadrons of light machines, began from some 9,000 feet the bombardment of the arsenal, the technical dockyard offices, the timber yards, and the depots housing the rolling-stock and kerosene supply, this latter at St. Sabba. Photographs and the dense columns of smoke showed with what results!
On the thirteenth of the same month an Italian aeroplane squadron fought a hotly contested battle, in the course of which two enemy ‘planes were brought down. On the seventeenth of the same month, Italian aviators scored further victories. On the same day an Italian squadron dropped bombs on the works and sheds of the narrow-gauge railway in Comignano (Komen on the Carso, ten miles south-east of Gorizia). Effective results were observed. It was also on this day that another squadron of Caproni battle-planes, escorted by Nieuport chasers, dropped bombs on the stations at Dottogliano (about eight miles north of Trieste), and Scopo (about two miles farther north), on the Carso, hitting the railway establishments, the adjoining stores, and the water tanks and trains standing in the stations. All the Italian aeroplanes returned safely, although chased by the enemy and fired on by anti-aircraft batteries.
Later it was made known that Italian squadrons of seaplanes in the course of a general reconnaissance, carried out by them along the west coast of Istria on October 16, succeeded in spite of unfavourable weather in successfully bombarding detached naval units near Rovigo, as well as military works at Rovigo and at Punta Salvore. At one point they became engaged in a fight with enemy aeroplanes, and damaged two of them, one of which was seen to fall into the sea. In spite of enemy artillery fire all the seaplanes returned safely to their bases.
On the first day of the next month, Italian aviators engaged in numerous further air fights, in the course of which several enemy machines were driven down. On the same day fourteen Italian battle-planes, escorted by Nieuport chasers, bombarded with marked success the railway stations of Nabresina (coast railway, Gulf of Trieste), Dottogliano, and Scopo (on the Gorizia-Trieste Railway), on the Carso. The aviators were fired on by anti-aircraft guns and attacked by enemy aeroplanes, but all returned safely to the Italian lines.
Again, on November 8, 1916, squadrons of Italian aircraft carried out an offensive reconnaissance on the enemy coast. Bombs were dropped with good results on the aviation station at Parenzo-Istria, and on craft used for military purposes in the harbour of Cittanuova. In spite of the violent fire of the anti-aircraft defences and of a counter-attack by enemy seaplanes, all the machines returned safely.
Many battles in the air were fought during the days that followed, various enemy machines being driven down by the skilful Italian aviators. Amongst those who have earned special notice are Lieutenant D’Annunzio, the son of the poet; Second-Lieutenant Garros; Capitaine de Fregate Arturo Ciano; and Baron Mario de Bratti, of the old nobility, who lost his life while serving his country. His funeral was attended by all connected with the Italian Aviation Corps and the technical and constructional side of the science, from General-in-Command to mechanics and artificers, so widely was his loss felt.