OTT Bitter End Mission 3, December 17, Counterattack at Monte Grappa. Italian Front.
Back-story to the Defence of Italy.
Winter 1917-Spring 1918.
Austria-Hungry was deeply shaken by their defeat at the eleventh battle of the Isonzo. Germany fearing that they would make a separate peace with the Allies if they lost another battle decided to reinforce the Italian Front with troops withdrawn from Russia.
In late October this combined force made an unexpected counterattack at Tolmino where they still held a bridgehead on the upper Isonzo. By using a generous amount of mountain troops, stormtrooper tactics, and new weaponry against the Italian line it quickly broke. Not only were Italian defenses here weak and lacking in reserves, the army was so demoralized by years of poor treatment that many solders just threw down their arms. As the Italian army at Caporetto began to flee in disorder, the Italian flank was threatened and they were also forced to withdraw. Not expecting such a lack of resistance, the Germans were unprepared to fully exploit this situation and failed to cut off the Italian forces to the south.
Once Caporetto was in German hands there was little terrain in the low country below that the Italian army could hold. Forced out from the Isonzo front, the Italians made efforts to regroup and establish a new defensive line behind the Tagliamento River as was anticipated. After the Germans secured a bridgehead across the Tagliamento near Casrsa in early November, the Italian line crumbled once more and they continued to retreat until they escaped over the River Piave. The Italian army had not only suffered tremendous casualties, many more soldiers simply went home. The Italians were prepared to retreat further but were convinced to set up a new defensive line on the Piave in mid-November after promises by France and Great Britain to send reinforcements. This disaster caused the ouster of Cadorna, who was replaced by General Armando Diaz. The Battle of Caporetto had a very damaging effect on Italian moral and they now began taking a more cautious approach to the War.
The Italian retreat from the Isonso also necessitated the abandonment of the Dolomite front. The new Italian line ran up from the marshlands on the Adriatic up along the Piave and turned westward where a sharp bend in the Brenta River came up behind it, and then extended all the way to the Trentino. To the Austro-Hungarians and Germans this gap between the two rivers seemed like the only possible route to outflank the Italians behind the flooded Piave River. Making this move difficult was the heavily fortified ridge of Monte Grappa that formed a choke point high above the Venetian Plain. An assault on this height was launched in mid-November, and while a number of summits were captured, they could not drive the Italians completely off the ridge. Heavy fighting would continue on these rocky slopes through a very harsh winter and into March of 1918 without a breakthrough.
The Cane Corso Squadriglia.
The earlier recon and spoiling exploits of the Squadron had successfully blunted the Austrian attack, but the Italian High Command new that backed by the Germans new attack force of so called Truppe d'assalto, the Austrians were about to make one final push across the Venetian plain and up the ridge. To prevent this move, batteries of heavy guns were moved onto the very front lines, and all air combat missions were assigned to destroy the advancing enemy units.
Flying high above the Plain Pete van der Maren, could see the squat forms of the heavy Italian guns emplaced with a vast number of Machine gun nests protecting the flanks of each battery in an intersecting vast killing ground just where the plain started to become rough and difficult terrain for an attacking force with loose scree and half frozen gullies criss crossing the landscape.
Glancing to his right he could see some 500 feet below him the two seater Bristols crewed by Oliver Brownlow and Jack Dawkins.
Also that of Tenente Marco Uzzi and his observer Antonio De Marco.
On the far right side top cover was being undertaken by Tenente Giacomo Pinnichi.
Within minutes they were in sight of a quartet of Austrian scouts, and both groups closed with unerring determination to be the first into action.
Death rained down from on high.
Pete, with unerring accuracy, got a burst into his adversary which left a gaping hole in the windshield and his machine on fire.
Pinnichi was almost as good with his shooting, as his own opponent's aircraft began to cough and leak a stream of lubricant.
As they passed the rear gunners got off a few rounds too jamming a few ailerons.
Aiming for their primary targets the Biffs swept down and headed for their bomb release point, now only harried by one Austrian who had had the sense to Immelmann.
The other three Albatrii dealing with fire, engine damage and jammed surfaces attempted to get back into the action as best they could.
In went the first bombs, from both Bristols plumb on target. The groups of advancing Storm Troops just got annihilated by the blast from the bombs.
Then disaster. Anti aircraft machine guns had started up all along the front at the approach of the Biffs, and seconds after Uzzi's bombs struck home, his aircraft just stalled in mid air and went in.
Pinnichi could not believe it. One second there and the next gone to a lucky strike from the ground.
Next it was Pete's turn to be in trouble. he was also recovering from the shock of the loss, and was caught on the hop by a returning Albatros. Luckily its guns jammed after a very few rounds.
Ignoring the attacker, now it had jammed, Pete let his egg go.
Probably subconsciously still shaken, he only scored a partial hit on the next group of troops and watched as the survivors scurried for cover.
Pinnichi, on his run did far better and obliterated troops, ammunition boxes and command unit in one mighty explosion, which was so violent it rocked his aircraft. The stick bomb boxes had detonated.
As he turned away, he was also hit by ground fire, and without any warning the second allied aircraft went down in a pile of wreckage.
Meanwhile the burning Albatros played no part in the proceedings as its pilot tried to keep the fire at bay.
Having turned for home, Brownlow was confronted by another Albatros, and in a flurried exchange of fire had his windshield shattered as shards lacerated his Flying Jacket and entered his upper right arm.
The fourth Austrian was on the tail of Pete's Spad but shot wide.
One of the other Austrians strayed too near to the Italian outposts but escaped with no damage when their machine gun jammed.
Deciding that he had been chased far enough Pete Immelmanned now that he had deposited his bomb and caught his pursuer cold giving him a good hosing down.
The next Albatros in line did get a shot off at Pete but then fortuitously jammed.
The flamer continued on its merry way.
Oliver, though wounded, made it back to the lines and a rather disgruntled Austrian pilot made off before the Machine gunners fixed their stoppage.
Pete was having a go at a green machine but having no luck as its pilot threw it all over the sky to avoid his bursts.
The burning aircraft made off.
Forward infantry units were now coming under fire from the heavy howitzers at last and starting to take serious casualties.
The remaining Austrian aircraft, now free to do pretty much as they wished, dived onto the Italian strong points and strafed them unmercifully until a jam stopped it in its tracks.
Meanwhile, Pete, pursued, dived for the lines in an attempt to get home in one piece.
Shooting between the Machine guns on the ground and the Albatrii continued for a while.
The Howitzer's continued to range in.
One intrepid Austrian had followed Pete right over the Italian side of the lines, but Pete dived again until he was hedge hopping and slipped under his opponent.
Finally the second Howitzer battery got the range of the remaining Storm troopers and a devastating barrage completed the work of the aircraft.
With two enemy machines now peppering his tail Pete finally slipped away into the mountain passes at a very low altitude indeed.
As the last of the Storm troopers were rendered ineffective, the remaining Austrian aircraft also called it a day.
They gave the Howitzers a fond farewell and headed for home just before dark.
Please note that no tanks were harmed during the making of this AAR.
Kyte.
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Originally Posted by Carl_Brisgamer
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