Conclusion of Correspondents’ tour of Front—I return to
London—Awaiting events—Brief official _communiqués_—Half Austrian
Army held up on Italian Front—Harrying tactics—Trench warfare
during the winter—Recuperative powers of the Austrians—Gorizia a
veritable Verdun—Italian occupation of Austrian territory—Many
thousand square miles conquered—A bolt from the blue—Serious
development—Awakening Austrian activity—400,000 troops in the
Trentino—Front from Lake Garda to Val Sugana ablaze—Totally
unforseen onslaught—Towns and villages captured—Genius of
Cadorna—Menace of invasion ended—I go and see Charles Ingram with
reference going back to Italy—His journalistic acumen—My marching
orders—Telegram from Rome—My journey back to Italy—Confidence
everywhere—Milan in darkness—Improvement on the railway to
Udine—Udine much changed—Stolid business air—Changes at the
Censorship—Press Bureau and club for correspondents—The Censorship
staff—Few accredited correspondents—Remarkable absence of Entente
correspondents—Badges and passes—Complete freedom of action given
me—I start for Vicenza en route for Arsiero—Scenes on road—From
daylight into darkness—Hun methods of frightfulness—Arsiero—Its
unfavourable position—Extent of the Austrian advance—Rush of the
Italians—Austrians not yet beaten—Town damaged by the fire and
bombardment—Villa of a great writer—Rossi’s paper-mills—The town
itself—The battlefield—Débris of war—A dangerous souvenir for my
studio 149