Chapter X

Belluno—Venadoro in the heart of the Dolomites—A fine hotel—Tame
excursions—Visit to Cortina d’Ampezzo—Austrian attempts to
recapture it—305mm. guns on the Schluderbach—Long range
bombardment—Austrian women and children in the town—Italians
capture Monte Cristallo—Aeroplanes and observation balloons
impossible here—Tofana in hands of Italians—Serenity
of garrison—Cortina d’Ampezzo—General invites us to a
_déjeuner_—Living at Venadoro—Delightful _camaraderie_—Evenings
in the big saloon—From Belluno to Gemona—Description of Front
in this Sector—Our excursion to Pal Grande—The road—On mules up
the mountain—A warning—Rough track—Peasant women carrying barbed
wire up to the trenches—Pay of the women—Much competition for
“vacancies”—The climb from Pal Piccolo to Pal Grande—A wonderful
old man—“Some” climb—The entrenched position on Pal Grande—Spice
of danger—Violent artillery duel—The noise of the passing
shells—Magnificent view—Timau—The Freikoffel—Its capture by the
_Alpini_—Wounded lowered by ropes—Capture of Pal Grande—Presence of
mind of a doctor—A telling incident—Extraordinary enthusiasm of the
troops—Food convoys—The soldier’s _menu_—Daily rations—_Rancio_;
the _plat du jour_—Officers’ mess arrangements—An _al fresco_
lunch on Pal Grande—The “mess-room”—“Pot Luck”—A wonderful meal—A
stroll round the position—An improvised bowling alley—Use is
second nature—In the trenches—A veteran warrior—The pet of the
position—Gemona—The list of lodgings—My landlady—Good restaurants
in Gemona—The _Alpini_ quartered there—The military tatoo in the
evenings—Reception by the Mayor—A delightful week 115