Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-07-13
FIGHTING
/. HEROES
Why Alpine Front 10 Quiet In. tho
Winter and Spring-Brilliant
Work Described.
I(James H. Hare, in LesNe'A)

Q Described.
(James II. Hare, In Lesle'A)
Have you ever climbed an Alpine
peak in the spring? II you have you
are not among those who wonder why
the Italian front remainA quiet ny h
winter and early spfing.. For the
most part the snow-filled mountain
passes are not only dangerous for h
movement Of troops but also absolute
~ impossible. I have seen men try
passes In early May and sink to their
waists in >the beautifully white but
cruelty treacherous c~rystallized vapor.
Speaking Of peaks, 1t is a revela-
ton to see the many, many guns hid
den to h ordinary view, that are
concealed in every nook and corner
OF h mountains, ready to>belch forth
their venom at the slightest provoca-
ton. Siege-guns of enormous caliber
of course do'not have to be placed on
mountain-tops; the bases are suitable
for them. The Is millimeter. the
just as much in evidence with the
Italians. while rapid-ire guns Of vari-
GUS makes, but principally the Fiat, a
nattve-made gun-and I am told a
very good one-and anti-aircrafts al
so are much in evidence as you climb
the slopes.
Why go to the mountainous
then? II they are so we'll protected.
why does the enemy not come
through the valleys? It Is a very SIM
pie reason-because they are moro
guns in the valleys. protected in vari-
rus ways, not the least of which ds
the barbed wire entanglements. And
by the way, there never before was a
time when SO much barbed-wire was
in use. If the inventor of that COM
modify received a trifiing royalty on
its production, he would be rich in
deed, considering the millions Of
yards in use today in all parts of
Europe.
Reaching the front-line trenches
one is privileged to look through loop
holes IN observation posts and gun
positions down on the Austrian posi-
tons only one kilometer away. How
ever, there is a valley between, so
while you must be careful not to ex-
pose yourself to the enemy, 1t is not
necessary to abstain from talking, as
in trenches nearer to the enemy.
An occasional shell bursts near.
The enemy is trying to draw the
Italian fire, to find out where our bat
teries are hidden. But we do not re-
ply until it suits our purpose to do so.
AS OH GA PIoAO 10 11cdIO dI1N llIldk4y
seen sailing steadily overhead and
anti-aircraft guns Immediately get
busy. Many shells burst near 1t.
Enemy though he be you shudder as
you think what would shappen to the
aviator II he even had to make a
landing on account Of engine trouble,
let alone being hit, there being abso-
lutely no landing places in that noun
tain region. He makes off over the
hills, however.
On the way back to headquarters
we paid a visit to a big naval gun that
was hidden away in the plains. 1t
fired a shell Weighing S85, kilos, FL
kilometers. It took a charge of pow
der weighing $50 kilos each time. to
fire 1t, and each shell cost. 5000 lire,
The gun weighed in the neighborhood
or 220 tons and was mounted on a
railway carriage with a specially fitted
car as tender. There is a train of
cars for the men of the battery to i've
IN. all properly camouf1aged to hide
them from the enemy. i
On some days we assembled the
mountains with the aid of the Tele-
fertca.. This is much quicker thar
by any other route perhaps not SO
easy- on the nerves.: It lis a kind of
ltfe,yor elevator as we call it. only In
a more horizontal position. The cage
IN Whlcn you sit or srecltne is attached
to a wire suspended from another
sloping wire by friction wheels. When
the drum revolves and the wire is
drawn up. n cage descends as the
other ascends. It swings free and you
see space all around as you go Up or
down. An uncanny feeling as you
look ahead of the cage. added to
shells screaming above, does not tend
to reassure you. IT'S a question which
IS the more uncomfortable, the going
up or going down. Some grades are
sleeper than others. that is to say,
the wire is at a greater angle, as much
as so degrees n places. Then as the
grade changes instead Of going up
you appear to be going down. It is
necessary to have plenty Of grease on
the wire to lubricate the. Wheels. and
when they pass an upright with a
loud click. very often a daub Of the
black sticky grease falls upon your
clothes. Few regret the end of the
journey.