lands. Taken from Venice by the Austrians during the Napoleonic
era, Monfalcone had become the third most important port in the
empire. In its yards warships were being constructed.

On June 9, 1915, the Italians made their swift stroke in a
southwesterly direction from their Isonzo line. The port was bombarded
on June 7, 1915, by a light Italian cruiser squadron, and the Castle
of Duino, standing at the sea edge near Trieste and defended by three
artillery batteries, was shattered and set afire apparently to prepare
for the operations against Monfalcone from the southwestern side of
the Gulf of Panzano. Archduke Eugene hastily collected a strong force
above Duino ready to resist an attempt by the Italians to land, but
the attempt never was made. It developed that the bombardment of Duino
was a feint.

The real movement against Monfalcone was launched from another quarter
straight across the Isonzo. The Bersaglieri cyclist corps and
grenadiers broke through the Austrian line at the river, and since the
Austrians had neglected to prepare a reserve line, the Italians
advanced by a swift, running fight through the villages around the
Isonzo delta. Near the historic town of Aquileia, now a mere hamlet,
the Italians forced a passage of the river at the point of the bayonet
and flowed in two streams around the enemy's positions, depending for
their rapid movements upon their cyclists with machine guns and their
fast-marching light infantry. The Austrians set fire to the pine-clad
mountain slopes, but were unable to stem the rush of the Italians who,
under the flare of the forest fires, broke into the open town of
Monfalcone after storming the promontory of Rocca.

Here, however, the Italian advance guard was in a dangerous position,
for the Austrian batteries posted on the limestone bluffs rising 1,000
feet on the northern side of the town still dominated the streets
occupied by the Italians near the water's edge. The situation was
critical, not only because the troops in the lower town were in danger
of annihilation if they held their ground, but because the Italians
were anxious to save the town from bombardment, and preserve the
warships under construction in the shipyards. So a brigade of light
troops scaled the limestone cliffs dragging their mobile 3-inch guns,
and forced the Austrians to retire, taking their heavy howitzers with
them. Monfalcone now rested securely in Italian possession. The
Italians in all this eng