As to the observation balloons, the “Drachen,” they had all along been noticeable by their absence; as a matter of fact, I don’t recollect ever seeing any of these aerial look-outs over the Austrian lines at any time, the reason for this deficiency being perhaps that they were not found to sufficiently fulfil their purpose.
The Italians evidently thought differently, and their “drachen” were to be seen everywhere, and along this front in particular.
In this connection I could not fail to note how much further behind the lines they are stationed here as compared with their usual position on the French Front. There may be some very simple explanation of this, but it appeared to me as a layman that they lost a lot of their utility by being always so distant from the Austrian lines.
We were bound for Doberdo, the village on the Carso that was being mentioned every day in the communiqués. From Sagrado we went by way of Fogliano, the road skirting the railway most of the way. We were now on the confines of a region of universal havoc and desolation.
War had swept across the country-side with the devastating effect of a prairie fire. Nothing had escaped it. All the villages we passed through were only names now, and nothing remained but ruins to indicate where they had been; of inhabitants, of course, there was not so much as a trace.
In spite, however, of the general devastation, troops were to be seen everywhere, and numbers were camping even among the ruins with the utmost unconcern; in fact, you couldn’t fail to notice that the moral of the men was wonderful, and that they seemed as cheerful as if at a picnic.
The Italian soldier struck me as having a happy faculty for making the best of everything, so hardships do not seem to trouble him, and the equivalent of “grousing” is, as I have already stated, an unknown word in his vocabulary.
This was particularly observable here, though, of course, the glorious weather may have had some thing to do with it; but the fact remained that they were supporting exceptional hardships with a stoicism that was quite remarkable, I thought.
The only difficulty the officers experienced was in getting them to advance with caution ([see page 273])