It is almost needless to add that every effort was made by us to obtain permission to remain for a time, if only in Udine, but in vain—for reasons best known to those in authority, no further publicity was desired for the moment.
With the conclusion, therefore, of the correspondents’ tour along the Front, the veil of secrecy was once more drawn over the operations, and was not to be lifted again except for the issue of the brief “Official” communiqués till such time as it might be decided to allow representatives of the Press to return to the war zone.
That the tour had been a great success was incontrovertible. The good fellowship shown to the foreign correspondents everywhere was quite one of its most memorable features, and one was continually experiencing it in some form or other.
Although perhaps, in consequence of the operations being in a state of preparation only, we had not seen so much of active warfare as we should have wished; what we had seen had opened our eyes to the resource and courage of the Italian officers and soldiers and the marvellous organization of the Army.
The progress that was being made in every part of the Front was, in my opinion, convincing proof that Italy’s share in the Allied operations is likely to be a very important factor in every phase of the conflict, and subsequent events have strengthened my conviction.
CHAPTER XII
Conclusion of Correspondents’ tour of Front—I return to London—Awaiting events—Brief official communiqués—Half Austrian Army held up on Italian Front—Harrying tactics—Trench warfare during the winter—Recuperative powers of the Austrians—Gorizia a veritable Verdun—Italian occupation of Austrian territory—Many thousand square miles conquered—A bolt from the blue—Serious development—Awakening Austrian activity—400,000 troops in the Trentino—Front from Lake Garda to Val Sugana ablaze—Totally unforseen onslaught—Towns and villages captured—Genius of Cadorna—Menace of invasion ended—I go and see Charles Ingram with reference going back to Italy—His journalistic acumen—My marching orders—Telegram from Rome—My journey back to Italy—Confidence everywhere—Milan in darkness—Improvement on the railway to Udine—Udine much changed—Stolid business air—Changes at the Censorship—Press Bureau and club for correspondents—The Censorship staff—Few accredited correspondents—Remarkable absence of Entente correspondents—Badges and passes—Complete freedom of action given me—I start for Vicenza en route for Arsiero—Scenes on road—From daylight into darkness—Hun methods of frightfulness—Arsiero—Its unfavourable position—Extent of the Austrian advance—Rush of the Italians—Austrians not yet beaten—Town damaged by the fire and bombardment—Villa of a great writer—Rossi’s paper-mills—The town itself—The battlefield—Débris of war—A dangerous souvenir for my studio.
One would have liked to spend an indefinite time at these scenes of warlike activity ([see page 131])
To face page 148