ew, attacked the Italian position in the
small valley of Vai, northeast of Lenzumo. The Austrians were repulsed
and a few prisoners were taken. On the remainder of the Trentino front
there were patrol encounters and increased artillery activity. In the
Travignola Valley of the Avisio, after trench-mortar preparation
against the southern slopes of Cima di Bocche, the Austrians attacked
toward Peneveggio. They were driven off. There were the usual
artillery actions along the Julian front. In the Castagnievizza
sector, on the Carso, the Italians surrounded an outpost and captured
the garrison, comprising nine men and one officer.

On March 12, 1917, there was the usual artillery activity in the
Trentino. The Austrian batteries showed increased activity in the
Tolmino Basin on the Julian front. On the Carso an Italian detachment
raided the Austrian lines southwest of Lucati and destroyed the works.
The dugouts were burned and twenty-four prisoners and one machine gun
captured. An Austrian counterattack failed.

CHAPTER XCVI

SPRING ON THE AUSTRO-ITALIAN FRONT

With the approach of spring, which of course comes late in the
mountainous regions in which the Austrians and Italians were fighting,
a quickening of all fighting activities became noticeable. Artillery
duels became more frequent and violent, scouting expeditions more
extensive and daring, and air reconnaissances an almost daily
occurrence. All this pointed to the coming of a new offensive. Rumors
were flying around almost as thickly as shells and bullets and they
credited equally both sides with making preparations. However, for
quite some time conditions continued very much in the same way in
which they had been running along during the winter.

In the Monte Forno zone, on the Asiago Plateau, an Austrian detachment
during the night of March 15, 1917, made a surprise irruption into
one of the Italian trenches, but was promptly repulsed by a
counterattack. In the upper Cordevole Valley small patrol engagements
occurred on the slopes of Monte Sief. On the Julian front there were
lively actions by both the artillery and by small infantry
detachments.

In the Adige Valley zone there was intense artillery activity on both
sides on March 16, 1917. Italian artillery bombarded the railway
station at Calliano and Austrian cantonments in the environs of Villa
Lagarina. Minor encounters of infantry occurred at Serravalle, Val
Lagarina, on the slopes of Monte Sie