Italian artillerymen operating a 400m mortar in a camouflaged position at Monte Grappa, 1918

Italian artillerymen operating a 400m mortar in a camouflaged position at Monte Grappa, 1918.



Yesterday 107 years ago, on June 10, 1917, the Battle of Monte Ortigara began between the Italian and Austro-Hungarian forces in the Dolomites mountains 

From May - June 1916, the Austro-Hungarians had launched the Trentino Offensive in the Alps, advancing and threatening to encircle the Italian forces on the Isonzo, had they not been halted.
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The Italians feared another Austro-Hungarian offensive of the sort could lead to disastrous consequences and therefore planned an offensive in the Alps in order to recapture the lost territory and improve defensive positions.
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The Italians would attack along a 14-km front from the Monte Ortigara to Monte Forno in the north and from Monte Zebio to Monte Rotondo in the south. Further diversion attacks would also be launched further south at Monte Rasta.
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The Italians would deploy some 300,000 troops for the attack - 154 Battalions - of whom 22 were Alpini Battalions (Elite Mountain Troops), almost all from the 52nd Division, tasked with capturing the Monte Ortigara.
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The Italians were up against just 100,000 Austro-Hungarian soldiers and had 1,600 artillery guns against just 500 Austro-Hungarian guns. Though the Austro-Hungarians held the high-grounds and could observe the Italian buildup for the attack, thus they anticipated the assault.
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On June 10, 1917, the Italians opened up a 10-hour-long artillery bombardment on the Austro-Hungarian positions. The Italian Infantry soon attacked up the rocky mountainous terrain. Rain further slowed down the Italians and, under fire from Austro-Hungarian machine-guns, the attack failed at Monte Forno, Zebio and Rotondo, resulting in heavy losses, but not at Monte Ortigara.
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At Monte Ortigara, the Italian Alpini troops, aided by thick fog, managed to gain a foothold at the northern end of the mountain, though couldn't push on to the summit. On June 15, the Austro-Hungarians counter-attacked the Alpinis, but were repulsed.

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