Fallen Italian soldiers at Tolmin following the Battle of Caporetto, November 1917.

Fallen Italian soldiers at Tolmin following the Battle of Caporetto, November 1917.

Fallen Italian soldiers at Tolmin following the Battle of Caporetto, November 1917.

Today 106 years ago, on October 24, 1917, the Battle of Caporetto began, also called the 12th Battle of the Isonzo, or the Battle of Kobarid/Karfreit.

The 10th and 11th Battles of the Isonzo earlier in 1917 had inflicted upwards of 200,000 casualties on the Austro-Hungarians, who demanded reinforcements from the Germans, as they didn't believe they could withstand another Italian offensive.

The Germans formed a new 14th Army and sent it to the Italian Front with the task of conducting a limited-scale offensive to stabilize the situation. The Germans had experimented with Stormtrooper tactics and sought to put them to use here, and chose to attack at the village of Caporetto on the Isonzo river.

On October 24, 1917, the Austro-Germans launched a gas attack on the Italian trenches at Caporetto, soon followed by an intense 4-hour long artillery bombardment of 2,200 guns.

In protection of thick fog, German Stormtroopers attacked the Italian lines and broke through. Austro-Hungarian units attacked further south on the Bainsizza plateau and German Alpine troops captured mountain strongpoints too. The Italian defensive system proved vulnerable against the Stormtrooper tactics. 

By the end of the first day, 10,000 Italian prisoners were captured and some Austro-German units had advanced as far as 25 km. In fear of being surrounded, the Italians withdrew along the whole Isonzo. Though the Austro-Germans were still able to capture thousands of Italian prisoners.

By November 19, the Austro-German forces were exhausted and their lines were overstretched. The Italians repositioned themselves on the Piave river in Italy, where they beat the Austro-Germans in the First Battle of Monte Grappa, ending the Battle of Caporetto.

The Italians suffered 43,000 casualties including 13,000 deaths, with another 265,000 prisoners lost. The Austro-Germans suffered 70,000 casualties, having advanced over 100 km in a resounding victory.