The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-11-14
HOLD Until DEATH
Italian '"Tanks" Held Bridges
Until Retreating Army Safe.
Then Destroyed Bridges and
Fired on Advance Guards.

Italian Headquarters in Northern
Italy, Tuesday. Nov. boy the As
ISOLATED Press. "A section of Italian
armored motor cars. each of which
mounts three quick firers in the tur-
rets, is just back from one of the most
thrilling experiences of the war. The
duty to which these cars were assigned
was to hold the bridges from the
Tagliamento to the Piave rivers IN
til the cavalry rear guards had passed
across and then to burn the bridges
behind them. The commander and a
number of his men were seen by the
correspondent at their camp where
they recounted their experiences as
tho they were every day occurrences.
Huge cars resembling tanks stood
about the camp, showing the scars
received in the recent ordeal. They
have heavily armored bodies There
is a steel door and for observation
purposes two small openings are pro-
vided. The two turrets above revolve.
the upper one having one quick firer,
the lower two.
All -Four Bridges Destroyed.
The orders were to hold to the
death" the bridges at Sacile Polcenigo,
Santa Lucia and San Giovanni. until
the Bersa glieri and cavalry had
crossed. That they succeeded is shown
made their way over the bridges; that
all the bridges were burned and that
the section returned leaving only one
damaged machine with the enemy,
| altho eighteen Of the forty cars were
| in such crippled condition that it was
| necessary to abandon them after the
bridges were burned. The machines
were divided, ten being stationed at
each of the four bridge heads. After
/ seeing their own rear guards safely
| across they awaited the approach OF
the enemy advancing guards. even
staying in some cases until the cars
were surrounded by hostile patrols
| which were then moved down by the
| batteries of quick firers.
| At the San Giovanni bridge one car
| took its station during the night, mid
/ way across the bridge Early in the
morning it was ordered to surrender
| by German car which bore the i'm
perial crest and carried a German
captain and two lieutenants- Instead
| of surrendering two Italian captains
and four gunners suddenly opened the
/ steel door and sprang out with car
| bines. The German captain and one
| lieutenant were killed. The other
| lieutenant and the German car were
captured and brought back.
Escaped Across Burning Bridge.
At the Sacile bridge the cars had
orders to hold for three hours, but
| Santa Lucia the commander ordered
one of his machines to advance
| against an enemy patrol, which was
| dangerously near. The car was
rushed forward, sweeping the enemy
| from its double turrets, bat when this
| mission was accomplished and the cal
was turned back 1t was found that the
bridge was on fire. The only way
was to cross this burning bridge. The
car was steered straight over the
smoking structure. and while burning
| planks creaked under its huge weight
| it crossed safely and is one of tbs
cars brought back.
The ammunition of another car wa,
exhausted after it had fired 10000
rounds. Each quick firer has a ca
pacity of $4,000 shots
| The commander and his men ar,
receiving congratulations for the eff
| fectiveness of their resistance in tn,
! face of the enemy and their complet,
| success in bringing the rear guards
across and burning the bridges behind
them.