Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-09-12
SPIRIT OF CAMARADER|E
EXISTS IN ITALIAN ARMY
King. Himself, Is Most Affable OF
All His Officers Toward
Soldiers.
OPPOSITE TO GERMAN SYSTEM
Friendly Feeling Actually Makes for
Discipline and Bravery-EXperts
State Nation Takes Excellent Care
OF It's Men at Front.


Ing the Italian army along any of the
fronts is quickly impressed with the
camaraderie existinc between officers
and men.
King Victor Emmanuel is perhaps
the most aTable OF ali the Italian Of
/ hcers toward the soldiers, The King
I uses a high powered motor car in his
's,almost constant tours along the fronts,
4 hu; he always finds time TO chat with
groups Of soldiers. speaking in the ma :
: tive dialect OF the men he is talking TO,
This friendly spirit between officers
and men has actually made for excel
lent discipline and bravery. military ex-
! rerts state. And for this reason all
attempts 10 enforce the German system
OF discipline in the Italian army have
been abandoned
With the exception OF the British
hghting in France. it is said no other
nation takes as good care of its SOL
-~dicrs az Italy. The food is excellent
and plentiful. The rations are cooked
twice day and served hot. regardless
of whether the soldiers arc in the
trenches, on the reserve firing line, or
or the highest mountain.
The hrst aid corps provides adequate
facilities for handling the wounded
along the firing line, while numerous
= field hospitals are located convenient
10 the fronts. Several large base hos
pitfalls have been established.
In addition, there are numerous re-
liefs carried on by private and public
subscription Chief among these are
the FIRST aid restaurants" which were
established by an English woman.
Signora Hullah-Scalh widow OF
former prominent officer of the Italian
->klpino. and Signora Bagnani. who was
Miss Dewar. Of Hamilton. Ontario.
Some OF these restaurants are set up
close 10 the firing lines. Others are
located at bases or main railroad sta
tons. In addition TO giving regular
meals. the restaurants supply the SOL
dicrs with delicacies not provided for
in the army rations.
Along the front in the Trentino one
rises rapidly from the heat Of the val
leys 10 the sharp cold of the Alpine
heights. While the army in the lower
sections has been digging itself in, the
troops holding the mountain positions
have literally blasted themselves in.
In the heights the soldiers living quar-
tiers are cut in the solid rock In many
cases these caves are lined with planks
and all are heated by hreplaces.
{ FAIR-SIZED TOWN CONSISTS
= ENTIRELY OF INTRENCHMENTs
E In the Galore. north of Cortina and
near the Marmolata Mountain, which
rises nearly II 900 feet. there is a fair.
sized town. consisting entirely of in
~ trenchments or dugouts and caves. AL
I. OF the caves are furnished with rough
Is..f IN 40 Of.
hcers have beds OF moss. The walls
are covered with military cloaks and
festooned with ivy and fir cones
~. over the entrance OF the officers
-. mess is chiselled Grand Hotel Mortar
!, In the center OF the hotel hangs a
cage containing A canary captured In
~ an Austrian trench Outside OF the
mess hall. and at various places in the
go cave town, lifc-sizcd and heroic busts
-s4 OF King Victor have been carved in the
. rock faces.
- y chapel has been GU, in ore side OF
y. a large spire OF rock where II is
:. sheltered from the enemy's shells. y
- portable altar has been erected and
/ the soldiers have lined the walls OF
~ the chapel with pieces OF bright quartz
IS scraps Of cclored clo,h and the silver
:. and gold paper from cigar and cigarette
II packages
e.. IN another part Of the settlemen; an
I. open space is deserved for amusements.
/. Here plays are g4vAn. with officers and
=. men minglins in the audience. or
4 games are held. except during heavy
- fighting
~ 4 museum. containing objects Sc
ssScured during the campaign, was started
Tin a corner OF the anluse,acu, square
The chief display is a mandolin which
=, was owned by young Italian soldier
who lost his life in q desperate hand
- to-hand encounter with Austrians after
1.-THE latter had haunted the Italians with
sybeing an army OF "mandolinists" rather
Ethan fighters
49, on the heights overlooking the Dolo-
unite road there is much evidence OF
.sssrecent battles in that section Many
'.sfresh graves bore inscriptions indicat-
= ing that both Italian and Austrian sol.
's2diers had been buried in the same spot
*. The Italian officers have already ac-
sc emphasized much in Transporting large
.Rssiege guns In the mountains, as vel
z as keeping an adequate supply of am.
and food on hand But still
s greater plans are being made for con
ss!ducting the campaign during the win
1s,that section. On the extreme height.
s-ssentries have already suffered from
= frostbite. and scouts have found DIM
,s:culty in traversing the glacial snows
ORGANIZATION
Is OF ALL DEPARTMENT!
ss.. visit 70 the lsonzo country otfer
4 IAN excellent example of the eficien
Reorganization OF all departments Of tn
ss1talian hghting machine. Noteworth,
feats have been perforre.
sssby Italian engineers working unde,
...sfre. The work OF the commissar!a,
I'm edical and sanitary department.,
x while not a 5 snowy as the accomplish
! fnents Of the engineers. have PLAYED a,
s.5equaliy important part In the opera
ss.stions.
sss From General Cadorna down 10 m
IL ordinary private one IS everywhere i'm
q presBed with the simple Vet business
fslike manner. OF the operations Ahou
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