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.