and felt, who served for
eighteen months on the Italian Front as a Subaltern officer in a Siege
Battery. But it was my luck to see a good deal during that time. Mine
had been the first British Battery to come into action and open fire on
the Italian Front. And, as my story will show, it was either the first
or among the first on most other important occasions, except in the
Caporetto retreat, and then it was the last.

I have camouflaged the names of all persons mentioned throughout the
book, except those of Cabinet Ministers, Generals and a few other
notabilities.

For permission to reproduce photographs, I wish to thank the
representatives in London of the Italian State Railways (12 Waterloo
Place, S.W.), and my friend and brother officer, Mr Stuart Osborn.

H. D.

LONDON, _February_ 1919

CONTENTS

PREFACE

PART I
INTRODUCTORY

CHAPTER I
THE ANGLO-ITALIAN TRADITION AND ITALY'S PART IN THE WAR

PART II
SOME EARLY IMPRESSIONS

CHAPTER II
FROM FOLKESTONE TO VENICE

CHAPTER III
FROM VENICE TO THE ISONZO FRONT

CHAPTER IV
THE WAR ON THE ISONZO FRONT

CHAPTER V
PALMANOVA

CHAPTER VI
AQUILEIA AND GRADO

CHAPTER VII
A GRAMOPHONE AND A CHAPLAIN ON THE CARSO

CHAPTER VIII
A FRONT LINE RECONNAISSANCE

CHAPTER IX
AN EVENING AT GORIZIA

CHAPTER X
A CEMETERY AT VERSA

CHAPTER XI
UDINE

CHAPTER XII
THE BRITISH AND THE ITALIAN SOLDIER

CHAPTER XIII
I JOIN THE FIRST BRITISH BATTERY IN ITALY

PART III
THE ITALIAN SUMMER OFFENSIVE, 1917

CHAPTER XIV
THE OFFENSIVE OPENS

CHAPTER XV
WE SWITCH OUR GUNS NORTHWARD

CHAPTER XVI
THE FALL OF MONTE SANTO

CHAPTER XVII
THE CONQUEST OF THE BAINSIZZA PLATEAU

CHAPTER XVIII
THE FIGHTING DIES DOWN

CHAPTER XIX
A LULL BETWEEN TWO STORMS

PART IV
THE ITALIAN RETREAT AND RECOVERY

CHAPTER XX
THE BEGINNING OF THE ENEMY OFFENSIVE

CHAPTER XXI
FROM THE VIPPACCO TO SAN GIORGIO DI NOGARA

CHAPTER XXII
FROM SAN GIORGIO TO THE TAGLIAMENTO

CHAPTER XXIII
FROM THE TAGLIAMENTO TO TREVISO

CHAPTER XXIV
THOUGHTS AFTER THE DISASTER

CHAPTER XXV
FERRARA, ARQUATA AND THE CORNICE ROAD

CHAPTER XXVI
REFITTING AT FERRARA

PART V
A YEAR OF RESISTANCE AND OF PREPARATION

CHAPTER XXVII
IN STRATEGIC RESERVE

CHAPTER XXVIII
THE FIRST BRITISH BATTERY UP THE MOUNTAINS

CHAPTER XXIX
THE ASIAGO PLATEAU

CHAPT