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The
Battalion's history Seven Common
Founded to Bassano Veneto, actual
Bassano of the Grappa, at the end of November of 1915 you/he/she was
constituted by a Command and two Companies individualized in the
145ª and 144ª in the 6° Alpine
Regiment.
Battalion took the name from that earth that you/he/she will heroically
defend then at the cost of enormous sacrifices and human
losses.
You formed thanks to the Battalion "Bassano" and "Val Brenta" that it
furnished him official inferior and the graduated of troop besides the
Military district in Vicenza that recruited 1.200 alpine class 1890
from the centers of zonal mobility. To Caporetto it will complete the
really organic one absorbing the 94ª company from the " Btg.
Bassano" for which in conclusion it will be composed from:
33 officers
1190 among alpine and graduated
88 between mules and horses
His/her Commanders:
Magg. Ettore Milanesio the Battalion's Commander;
Captain Jefte Setti Commander of the 145ª
cp.
Captain Umberto Fabbri Commander of the 144ª cp.
Once completely structured, Battalion will begin his/her heroic deeds
participating in first line in the Great War.
Because of hits of the Austrian artillery of strong Jaworcek, suffers
the first losses in May 1916 in a nighttime march following the order
received to go himself/herself/themselves from Serpenizza on the peak
Cukla, to give the change to the Bassano. Continually places
under draught from the snipers of the Rombon and struck by the
shrapnelses shot by the strong Jaworceks and Hermann, they will
withstand and they will reject the different and numerous attacks of
the Austrians that want the peak Cukla to all the costs, getting for
this one encomium from the General Command of the IV Corpo of
army.
The 3° and 11° armed Austro-Ungarica in the famous
Strafexpedition driven by the archduke Eugenio, superior in means and
men, it overwhelms the 1° Italian army of the gen. Pecori
Giraldi. Nevertheless the advance is braked and then stopped to
Footstep Buole, Pasubio, Novegno, Belmonte, Zovetto Lemerle, Zebio and
on other positions. The Italian losses were huge. Because of this
staving in of the lines from the Austrians, the General Command sends
the peremptory and immediate order to the Bassano and Seven Communes to
refold in hurry to defend their territory. Arrived the change by the
Saluzzo, the Battalions quickly they overcome Caporetto, and from
Cividale in train they are brought to Bassano. In the night of June 8
the Seven Communes it reaches with trucks Enego resting in Val Zante
and making himself/herself/itself of the XX° Corpo of Army
available. The 1° Italian Army, subsequently, taken back him,
it counterattacks rejecting the Austrians making them withdraw
notably.
Stopped the advance, from on June 2 in then the front you/he/she is
restored, so that to organize the following counteroffensive. This way
between 15 and 16 June the Seven Common resumptions the march and, once
crossed the Footstep Wolf, it brings him to Malga Giogomalo, uniting
himself/herself/itself under the direction of the Group Alpine Lace.
From the General Command the order arrives to pick up the neighbor Top
Isidoro. The 144ª company in the meantime tries the conquest
of the top Castelloni of St. Mark, while the 94ª and
145ª to quota 1.720 and in the Fontanello they try to distract
with actions of trouble the Austrians. The 144ª arrives on the
summit and he/she succeeds in making himself/herself/themselves proper
5 schwarzloses and two Austrian howitzers. This boldness was worth the
honor of the silver medal to the military valor for actions worthy of
mention for heroism to the Captain Mannerini, and to the Sottotenentis
Giovanni Snipers and Caesar Porta. In the fight the decorated ones die
to unfortunately the military valor with the bronze medal, Lieutenants
Bassanesi Guido it Costs and Henry Moranti. The day later on rush of
the Sottotenente Giovanni Fincato of Enego Top Isidoro is conquered to
1.914 mt. The Command however he/she underestimates the importance of
the connections in that details and difficulties breakers, putting the
battalion in difficulty because isolated. Fortunately the Austrians
didn't take advantage of it and oddly they withdrew him. The following
day the Seven Communes placed side by side by the Val Cenischia stung
toward top Campanella and Caldiera to quota 2.218. you/he/she has
subsequently followed in these mountains of what the ordeal of the
Alpine ones will be defined which the Seven Communes it will be
protagonist.
On one side a strong well organized defensive system and finished up by
the XX Battalion Feldjager 6° Division Graz to the Command of
the Ten. General Artur Edler Von Mecenseffy. Lined up along that line
the whole III Corpo of army Carinziano Stiriano commanded by the Gen.
Krautwald also called "iron body". it will Arrive then, on application
of the Commander Conrad in the most difficult moments, the 73 division
from mountain commanded by the Gen. Goinginger. From the
other Italian the 52 Division Alpine, the Infantrymen of the Brigade
Regina and Piedmont and the 9° Bersaglieri.
Innumerable they are the attempts of the two battalions to conquer the
peaks with assaults to the bayonet and body body. Many of the Alpine
ones fell wounded mortally or scomparirono because torn to pieces by
the bursts of the bombs of different caliber that rained him I set shot
by the Austrian guns. Nevertheless the boldness and the courage of the
indomitable Alpine it allowed that at 17 o'clock in the evening of the
same day they succeeded in occupying this position. Despite they were
tired for the suffered pressure, and for the numerous losses, with the
usual rush that always countersigned them, they still directed him
toward the Ortigara where to attend them there were the grids, the
cannonades and the grapeshots of the Austrians. You thinks whether to
furnish an idea of the bloody battle, in that while, the Austrian
troops shot in half day more than 200 tons of bullets for rifles and
machine guns. Further decorations to the worth were still assigned to
the capable Cap. Mannerini and De Angeli and Sten. Snipers and Door
close to the silver medal to the military valor assigned to the alpine
one of Asiago Valentine Veller that he/she saw to die to his/her side
in the assault his/her brother Cristiano. In truth, without distinction
some, all those people that you/they fought on the Ortigara in both the
line up as in general in all the other zones of war, I am today worthy
of mention worth and honor, anybody excluded. To subsequently increase
the situation also put on us the nature that with a violent downpour
followed by big hail and sudden reduction of the temperatures, provoked
further losses among the Alpine poor men, already exhausted by the
weary battles. Reached 29 in proximity of the Buso they crowded with
how much he/she remained of the Val Maira and of the it will silver. In
fact some Seven Communes had remained in life no more than 200 men that
gathered him in the 145ª commanded by the Cap. Setti and
compote from 4 platoons (2 of the 145 and 1 for the 94 and one for the
144). A further extreme attempt brought to quota 2.101 the Alpine ones
remained for the nth assault to the bayonet.
To the 3 of the morning incited by the Commander to the cry of Savoia,
when he/she anchors the night it was dark, on the right of the vallone
of the Agnelizza the 145ª platoon with a rush directed by the
Sottotenente Fincato reached q. 2.101 and it entered the hostile
trenches. The Austrians counterattacked in strengths, forcing the few
survivors to the fast retreat. With the intent to again gather them not
to disperse them, all you/they are gathered together the battalions of
the Val Maira, it will Silver and Seven Communes, under the command of
the Magg. Milanesio. Arranging himself/herself/itself on precarious
postings, between 3 and 5 July they operate at night some passages
among the grids with glaze pipes. The Austrians acknowledging
himself/herself/itself the initiative they are quickly waited for
really in that passages provoking further decimations among the Alpine
ones to the assault. Between 6 and on July 10 the Seven Communes it
uselessly tries to conquer the postings avversarie, with further
attacks, suffering huge losses. This forced the Command to order that
the change was given to the by now small and exhausted Seven Communes.
To the arrival of the you tuck in, these were struck dumb in to see the
tops completely covered by so many fallen with Alpine poor men struck
by the death. A vision this that hardly upset the young recruits you
reach the front, placed side by side by the veterans by now gotten used
to cohabit with the death after years of hard fights. The
Seven Communes strengthened by the new arrivals, again come busy to the
attack of quota 2.105 and 2.101 of the Ortigara, also placed side by
side in the rush by the Battalion Verona. The Alpine ones that
succeeded in surviving in the preceding days, were found still to have
to face those dreadful quotas that so much cost him in human life.
Numerous and useless attempts of assault don't bring that to as many
useless losses of glorious and heroic Alpine that they go to hoard one
above the other one reduced by the unstoppable machine guns that
incessantly keep on shooting, and whose reeds smoked from the emitted
heat. To the hours 17 of 24 the Alpine ones still refold on the
Caldiera. After this nth massacre battalion returns
to Malga Fossetta for a deserved and difficult rest. The Alpine ones in
silence cannot forget anymore and to become reconciled
himself/herself/themselves have lost so so many friends in the back of
the Ortigara. But quickly forced by the war events, they also take back
him because the War doesn't allow them to otherwise do. They constitute
a section gunners thanks to the schwarzloses he/she took to the
enemy.
They strengthen the trenches of the Pole Mountain and on October 10 the
Seven Communes he still finds again to Malga Fossetta to form with the
Verona, Bassano and Daring Mountain the 9° Group of the with
the. Lace. Toward the Ortigara. it Needs to conquer him/it. Last
objective to take top Portule. The action, denominated K it had to
happen before the winter and programmed therefore for November 10. Snow
falls and for that day it is already tall over the meter. This prevents
the connections and the possible assault and therefore the all is
postponed. The following abundant snowfalls bring the Command to
definitely postpone the attack a following year. On November 20 the
Seven Communes he/she returns on the Pole Mountain to consolidate and
to maintain all the connections digging deep galleries under the snow.
One among the coldest winters with - 33° and the cold and
frostbite that you/he/she could strike in any moment every Fighting.
Also aside Austrian here described as you/he/she has been worth as the
same sufferings, sufferings, heroisms and other they involved these
busy troops. The war didn't save anybody. Later over 67 days of trench
and face fights discovered, body body against the Austrians, with a
breath of relief March 14 th 1917 the Seven Communes you/he/she is
destined to rest to they Crimp of the Grappa where it sojourns for two
months. The Gen. Of George confers to this heroic battalion for the
finished actions and the huge losses suffered on the Ortigara, the
silver Medal to the military valor. In the meantime the order arrives
from the General Command: the Battalion Seven Common it has to again go
himself/herself/themselves toward the Ortigara. The Alpine informed
begin to shiver and to relive the tragic moments lived in that
Mountain, considering to the so many more present friends and left
buried or to the sun in those valleys. This way on May 11 the same is
started toward the plateau, camping himself/herself/itself in the zone
Barricaded with the 9° Group Alpine, finding again he/she
anchors him to one year-old distance, on June 7, inside the trenches of
the Caldiera under the 2.101 famous and tragic
quota.
The General Command imparts the nth order. The quota 2.101 must be
conquer to all the costs from the 9° Group. This has to pass
above the present Austrians to the footstep of the ewe lamb for then to
overwhelm the quota 2.101 and 2.105. it speaks of four meters where
thousand of Alpine and Austrians died between attacks and defenses. The
Italian batteries begin to shoot to the hours 6 of the morning of June
10.
You repeats the play of the event as it was the day before. In reality
it is departed one year and many they are not more present.
Before the attack so many pray, others write, who tries to damp the
fear with wisecracks. All are united from the certainty that the
reentry is not insured and concerns the cemetery making the
conjurations. It expects the term of the bombardment it was almost a
liberation for that to feel to the throat the heart to beat. To the 15
this it stops. And' the moment. The Battalion Seven Common it tunes up
the hymn of Mameli and following the cry of the officer it begins the
wave toward the fund of the Agnellizza still covered by the snow. The
Seven Communes with the Lieutenant Cecchin it attaches with the
94ª cp. Then followed by the 144ª of the Ten.
Concato. You reaches the vallone to the height of the log cabin. Behind
a massacre of Alpine fallen. All race in before looking for shelters
among the holes of the exploded bombs, or behind the same fallen, in
the hope to succeed in making to avoid her/it the direct bullets and to
be able to return back then. They see to their sides fall his/her own
fellow soldiers and they hope that that is not their next fate. But
they proceed. The artilleries have not provoked passages in the grids,
and the assault has not been prepared creating them before. To the 15
and 45 the first heroes arrive and they are found before to an absurd
reality, improbable. Any passage in front of them. In the meantime the
crackle of the machine guns keeps on reaping more and more victims. A
slaughter. The Alpine ones fall himself/herself/itself one above the
other. they Race to frontally facing the machine guns and the rifles
that mercilessly they make to feel and they strike with precision. A
real mattanza. To the 17 the Most greater Milanesio, approves the
situation, it orders to the few survivors to take refuge
himself/herself/themselves under the quota 2.105 near to the Bassano.
You proposes the same scenery of the preceding year. The stubbornness
of the Command is not included, that orders also in the following days
that you continue the slaughter. This way the 11 and 12 happened, up to
that the night of the 13 visas the few remained men and any gotten
result, the Seven Communes it is ordered to refold to Malga Moli of it
whether to attend them what reinforcements there are the recruits class
1.898. Young people that without becoming himself/herself/themselves
account, they are not at all found in hand a rifle prepared to have to
face the death. And as you/he/she would have been after all possible.
The gloomy and tenebrous mountain was there always firm to scrutinize
and to testify the to follow him some events.
He/she anchors on June 19 he/she leaves again the action for the
conquest of the Ortigara and the Seven Communes he brings under the
roccionis of quota 2.105 in support in the Verona. At 6 o'clock it goes
off the prophetic time of the nth assault. The Commander of the
Battalion is seriously hurt by the burst of a broom, but he is equally
firm despite the blood and the weakness that the body pervades him. It
incites his good Alpine to proceed, and he/she sees them for the nth
time to inexorably fall one after the other. The Lieutenant Fincato
still succeeds in storming in the trenches of the accursed quota 2.105
being able to again touch her/it. From here they proceed with the
Captain thin Setti to reach the so much hoped top. It didn't seem true.
But they stopped him and they didn't continue toward the Portule,
probably for the tiredness or for the joy to have reached the as one
hoped for top of the Ortigara. expected that brief time that however,
for lack of orders and determination, it allowed the Austrians to
strike the top with innumerable hits of artillery unfortunately
precise. Everybody falls. It howls, curses, applications of help, men
that have disappeared behind the burst of a broom, braked tattered.
They will be the nth lost among the so many. Nobody saves him. There is
no distinction between Officers and Troop. All united ones to their
destiny. The lieutenant Cecchin struck by a splinter remains and
encourages his/her own men. Brought to Enego, ivi will die later three
days.
The "Seven Communes" he/she is indomitable however in to garrison the
conquered positions, always beaten by the draught of the hostile
artillery, up to the night between 21 and 22 when you/he/she is noticed
by the "Bassano" and the few survivors refold to Malga Moli of it. But
the top of the Ortigara doesn't remain for a long time in the hands of
the Alpine ones. In the night between 24 and 25 violent bombardments
and the use of suffocating gas, the sacrifices made vain of the so many
fallen Alpine, and the top is taken back by the Austrians. Then the
Seven Communes it stops him on the Pole Mountain and Campoluzzo to
strengthen the different postings. The results of the front on the
Isonzo, force the Alpine ones to refold demoting and ripercorrendo to
bashful that conquered earth and still still soaked by the blood of
his/her own Fellow soldiers that ivi they lay. The amazed looks of the
survivors that turned them the shoulders in to step backwards, left a
sign in each of them, and at that time they had the further
confirmation that everything was useless and vain. They attests
therefore along the defensive front now positioning
himself/herself/itself on the Badenecche Lazzaretti hospital
Mountain.
Close to the battalion Val Dora and to one of Game, they regain Malga
Fratte. The Seven Communes fierce of the name that brought, valiantly
defended decimated, his/her own territory day after day for over two
months, preventing the Austrians to break down on the highland and to
go down in the valley toward Venice. And so on February 20 finds
deserves her/it hospitality in the proximities in Vicenza.
Four months later Battalion fights on the Grappa Mountain for then to
return to again defend the zone that he always saw him/it present: the
highland of Asiago in the zone Ekar. In sight of the decisive offensive
the Seven Communes it goes beyond Molinetto on the Piave on October 29
under the intense draught of the Austrian artillery. It also conquers
the day after the Balcon Mountain and Orsera and 31 the Zogo Mountain.
On the Marziai they learn incredulous from the alive voice of S.M. the
King happens him occupation of Trento, Trieste and the Victoria of
Vittorio Veneto. From the beginning of the operational activity of the
Seven Communes, many days were departed. The vicissitudes of the
Battalion brought him/it to the footlight for the numerous actions of
heroism and solidarity shown. Huge they were the demonstration losses
than courage, resistance, strength, spirit and heroism the Alpine ones
of the Battalion knew how to show sacrificing himself/herself/itself.
The Alpine Austrians nicknamed "green devils" the Battalion's
components for the audacity and for the brave courage that you/they
showed.
The first commander of the "Seven Communes" so it defined his/her
Battalion: "also in his/her brief warlike life, it gave generous
contribution of value and blood to plot to gold points the glorious
istoria of the Country". The numbers of the pens black falls are of
example to never forget them.
Decorations to the value:
Silver medal: Mountain Ortigara, June 10-20 th 1917
Medal of individual gold: Lieutenant Cecchin Giovanni - Mountain
Ortigara, June 10-19 th 1917
N° 61 individual silver Medals
N° 88 individual Bronze Medals
Fallen and wounded:
Official: 16 fallen and 47 wounded
Alpine: 495 fallen and 1249 wounded
Altogether on the Ortigara 28.000 Italian soldiers were lost of which
12.633 Alpine among:
Died Wounded Dispersed
Official 110 330 50
Troop 1.454 8.127 2.562
The Austrians lost 8.000 among his brave.
Bibliografia:
Battaglione 7 Comuni (Battaglione Trento) – 10° Rgt.
Alpini Editore – Roma 1934 - Ortigara 1917 – Gianni
Pieropan – Mursia Editore 1974
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