Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-30
ny ETHEL BROADHUnST.
British Red Cross Nurse. Who Was
with tho Italian Armies Dur
ing tho Great Retreat.

British Red Cross Nurse. Who Was
with the Italian Armies Dur
Ing The Great Retreat.
u; last story Of the Italian retire
mon: brought us to Udine. where NC
enjoyed comparative. safety for some
days. Now propose 10 take up The
story ~hc.e the retreat ended and the
various eoUnterthrusts against the pur-
suing enemy began on the Fiavr, which!
IS really the last strong line between
TIC Huns and he fine old city OF Venice
Oh which their covctous and lustful
eyes arc now turned.
VIC women sec moro q: the ACTUAL
hos,iii,ics in this part Of tn. wori1
than on the western front Most OF :n2
events I am about 10 describe have
seen with my own eyes from the win
dow Of huilding within siSEt of the
field o; battle. II is used as = sort
of Embarrassing station. and there we
at;cnG TO the wounded who Jrudgc back
from! tho firing line The hospital j.;
We'll Within rang" OF The cnelry's suns
aud they rot iuFrenucntly send shells
uU; way. For other parts 81 my mar
raiiNc have 20 thank Italian aud Brit
iSb Officers and men who have been
good enough to try to entertain me
With stories OF wha, they haze seen
IN the track OF tho retrcating army.
That the enemy arc not now despoil-
ING Venice is due To the fire stand
Ut tho Italian Infantry on the I'iare
lire. There arc stories told tnat will
rank with any in the stcried past
] saw PASS along the road to the
rear rsssed band of about 200 men.
They were pinchcd with cold anu look
'd furnished Their soaked and rag
god clothes clunE to their limbs in a
way that must have added to tho mis-
cry of their march. Some of them
were wounded All limped painfully
ALONG with the air Of men who had
their courage and powers Of physical
endurance taxed 10 tho utmost limits
They were tho survivors of three bat
ta!ionS that just three days before
hau seen move UP TO Tho line OF tho
PiaVc. They had orders to hold on a
all costs. and from their grim set
faces. and tho flashing OF their cvcs
knew that they would make good If
II were ia The power Of msn to make
good III that fight.
Desperate Fighting ~ River Crossing.
Tho three battaiions had stood up
nsainst as many divisions. and fought
cH With the courage Of lions. throw
,ns back each attack. and playing
havoc with the mnssed ranks Of the
loo only at one point did the enemy
succeed in forcing the crossing Of the
riavc. ~ concentrated gun fire they
had succeeded in isolaiing The weakest
"! TIC; Italian dciachmcnts Enclosing
il ma .Irclc ot shell fire Then they
mad lined alp their fraii wall OF hui
manly 10 Withstand the onrueh OF
tho zoe. The carnage was fearful be
youd word
The Italians had no thought Of re-
creating. Above the din of the fight
ioSc the strains Of Re d'ltaIia," the
national hymn Of our ally. and that
vas the death song Of the band OF
heroes.
The enemy crowded more troops on
the narrow front tempest OF hull
lets raincd on tho devoted Italian
h'r"c~. one by one they fell, but it
was not Dnt.l tho last man had gone
d""n that tho enemy were able TO
'hroH iileir pcntoons across at this
posHt and begin the crossing Of men
aud guns. Ey that lime tho Italian
ii"ols to the righ, ana left had moved
"hH N'!e taking "a hand in the fight
Ia pic ~ tn" odds against them they
'laT@"d the foc With the bayonct
rom the oycrhauging hills our Brit
is" tUnu"rs were soon busy. and The
'h'Uy engineers engaged on pon,oon
construction were CALLED unrnc;cifuilv
by "caseicss fire
on our side Of tho river .n.nv
h''>e'S were forming for deadly
'hFdhl mat would turn the Italian