On 24th October 1917 Austro-Hungarian and German troops were able to break the Italian frontline at Caporetto, which was followed by a long retreat until the Piave river. Being afraid that Italy would be knocked out of the conflict, French and British High Commands decided to send troops to support the endangered ally.
The units sent were the 5th, 7th, 23rd, 41st and 48th British Divisions and 6 other French Divisions. The 5th and 41st Division were soon called back to France to face the German offensive “Michael”, while the remaining units served under the command of Sir Frederick Rudolph Lambart, 10th Earl of Cavan, as part of the Italian 6th Army of Gen. Luca Montuori. In March they were deployed on the Plateau between the hamlet of Cesuna and San Sisto ridge. The British Head Quarter was established in the Palladian Villa Godi Valmarana, in Lugo. The Prince of Wales Edward VIII spent some time here during the war, as recorded in some letters to his fiancée Freda Dudley Ward. Other HQ were at Malga Carriola and Granezza. The latter was also the location of several logistic structures. British troops saw their major engagement during the June Offensive 1918 (Battaglia del Solstizio) were they had some casualties but were able to keep the positions. Among the deads was also Captain Edward Brittain, 11th Notts & Derbyshire Rgt, brother of the famous author Vera Brittain. He is buried at Granezza British cemetery. British troops played also an important role during the final battle (Battaglia di Vittorio Veneto) which ended the war on the Italian front on 4th November 1918: in a coordinated attack with Italian and French troops, on 1st November British units forced the last Austro-Hungarian resistance on the hills north of Asiago and then pursued the routed enemy army in the Assa Valley. The 48th British Division was the first allied unit to enter enemy territory since 1916. Inside the five British cemeteries of the Plateau rest more than 700 soldiers that gave their lives serving for the Empire in the Great War. |
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