Page 39 - La Grande Guerra dei Carabinieri - Flavio CARBONE

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“L’eroica morte del Carabiniere Orazio Greco” (tavola di Vittorio Pisani). All’alba del 18 luglio 1915, nell’imminenza della battaglia del Podgo-
ra, si portò sotto le linee nemiche per danneggiare con tubi di gelatina i reticolati austriaci. L’operazione riuscì, ma nell’azione il Carabiniere per-
se la vita.

The assault on Podgora
Podgora

n 24 May 1915, the mobilized Regiment, composed by personnel coming from the Legion of Ca-
rabinieri Cadets and the Legions of Florence, Ancona, Palermo, Bari and Naples, departed from
O Rome to the frontline with the flag of the Carabinieri and the marching band at the head.
On 19 July, during the Second Battle of the Isonzo, the II and III Battalions attempted to as-
th
sault Podgora Hill, the Austrian bridgehead on the right bank of the Isonzo, which divided the Ital-
ian troops from the “irredenta” Gorizia, an important road and railway hub as well as the Habsburg
Empire’s access to the sea. The Carabinieri stepped out of their trenches and attacked with bayonets
the enemy on altitude 240 of Podgora Mount. Within a few hours, the casualty toll reached over
200 dead, missing and wounded, in addition to the 300 Carabinieri taken to field hospitals as a
result of the cholera outbreak caused by the poor hygienic conditions.
The Austrian Fifth Army Commander described the attack as follows: “they pro-
ceeded across an expanse covered with corpses until they reached our fences
where they were felled by gunfire.”
The Carabinieri were awarded nine silver medals, 33 bronze
medals and 13 Crosses for Military Valour.

“The heroic death of the Carabiniere Orazio Greco” (panel painting by
Vittorio Pisani). At dawn on 18 July 1915, in the imminence of the battle
of Mount Podgora, he approached the enemy lines to damage the Austrian
barbed wire with Bangalore torpedoes. The operation was successful, but
the Carabiniere lost his life.
On opposite page: Carabinieri Regiment at the front. July/August 1915. A
moment of rest. The lieutenant sitting at the table is consulting some docu-
ments. Beside him is sitting a Quartermaster Warrant Officer. Around them
the Carabinieri are eating their meals.
War prisoners' transfer. in the back the devasted building because of the
enemy bombing.
Commemorative ceremony. A Carabinieri contingent parades on occasion
of a military event. Two soldiers of the first row are holding the memorial
plaque dedicated to Mount Podgora.