Photographs of Italian Bersaglieri troops with an M1914 Fiat-Revell machine-gun overlooking the Adige Valley of the Alps, ca. October 1918.

Photographs of Italian Bersaglieri troops with an M1914 Fiat-Revell machine-gun overlooking the Adige Valley of the Alps, ca. October 1918.

Today 106 years ago, on November 13, 1917, the First Battle of Monte Grappa began on the Italian Front, as part of the First Battle of the Piave.

After the disastrous Battle of Caporetto in October 1917, the Italians had withdrawn and established their defenses on the Piave river and at Monte Grappa in the Alps, after a retreat of over 80 km. The Italians had constructed fortified defenses in the mountain range around Monte Grappa, with the intent of turning it into an impregnable fortress.

 

On November 13, 1917, with support from German Alpine units, the Austro-Germans attacked the Italians at Monte Grappa and on the Piave river.

The Austro-Germans met fierce resistance from Italian Alpine troops on Monte Grappa. By November 14, the attackers had captured the Mount Peurna and advanced 3 km towards the Piave, at the cost of heavy losses. Fighting was fierce in the freezing mountainous terrain.

On November 15, the Austro-Germans attacked with a much stronger force than previously, pushing the Italians back at Monte Grappa and inflicting big losses on the defenders. On November 17, the Austro-Germans attacked again at Monte Grappa, but failed to achieve any notable success. The Monte Grappa sector became a theater for continuous fierce counter-attacks from both sides.

On November 22, only 2 km from the summit of Monte Grappa, the Monte Pertica saw heavy fighting as its trenches changed hands seven times, with the Austrians eventually holding them. The battle continued through December 1917, which introduced deadly snowstorms.

The Austro-Germans captured more mountains, including the key peaks of Monte Tomba and Asolone, from which they could see Venice.