SHRINE OF MOUNT CIMONE IN TONEZZA
THE FIRST WORLD WAR
Cimone, of strategic importance during the Great War-in fact, Austrian historiography calls Cimone the “Gibraltar” of the Italian front-was widely contested beginning with the Spring Offensive of 1916. The peak fell into Austro-Hungarian hands on May 25, 1916, ten days after the Strafexpedition began, and remained there until July 23. The Imperials, having vanished their hopes of breaking through to the plains and after the difficulties they encountered on the Russian front, reduced their forces, moving the line to positions dominating the highlands and the offshoots of particular tactical value, including Mount Cimone.
Sardinian soldiers of the Bisagno Brigade had repeatedly attempted to occupy it with the use of ladders and ropes, but were always repelled with boulders and hand grenades. On July 23, 1916, the Val Leogra and Clapier Alpine battalions, the 154th and 153rd Infantry, succeeded. On the Austro-Hungarian side it was then planned in every way, but in vain, to recapture. It was therefore decided to adopt the only possible solution: to blow up the summit and thus wipe out the strong Italian garrison.
The mine was detonated at 5:45 a.m. on Sept. 23, exactly two months after the Italian reconquest, while the changeover of a battalion of the Italian Sele infantry brigade deployed there with other units was taking place: two frightful roars echoed several times among the nearby mountains, followed by two towers of earth and dust rising into the air, while gigantic boulders tumbled down the valleys: everything unfolded in a few minutes during which, having upset the top of the mountain and buried more than a thousand soldiers, the Austro-Hungarian troops leapt forward to occupy the Italian positions where the havoc had been such that no reaction was possible.
Since then Mount Cimone has become a mountain considered Sacred.
VIEW OF MOUNT CIMONE FROM DRONE
CENTENARY OF THE GREAT WAR, WITH SIRO OFFELLI
THE MINE AND THE CHARNEL HOUSE, WITH SIRO OFFELLI
SOME PICTURES OF MOUNT CIMONE
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