Forte Monte Enna

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The Italian Forte Monte Enna (Austrian name: Werk Enna) is an Italian fortification that was directed against the Austro-Hungarian border. It is located on a ridge of Monte Enna (975 m) north of the village of Torrebelvicino in the province of Vicenza . Forte Monte Enna was the most modern tank factory of the Italians. Construction of the plant began around 1910 (the exact time can no longer be found out). According to the Italian specialist literature, the system was fully armored and operational on December 6, 1914. It was supposed to replace the outdated Forte Monte Maso .

Forte Monte Enna belonged to the restricted group Monte Enna – Monte Civilliana (I. Sector Schio of the Sbarramento Agno – Assa) and had the task of covering the road to Schio; on the one hand in the Valle del Leogra, on the other hand the cross connection from Ressalto over the Passo di Santa Catarina to the south. The longitudinal direction of the battery block ran from north to south, the main direction of fire was west.

It was the only work that the Registry Office of the Austrians , could not fully explain concerned what planning, construction progress and armament.

Remote battle targets were the Monte Pasubio , Mount Baffelán and the area around the Piano delle Fugazze.

Since the Austro-Hungarian army had given up the apron and the imperial border for tactical reasons in 1915 and established itself in a defensive line further back, the plant lost its task and was disarmed. The guns were removed and installed in field positions. The exact locations of the cannons can no longer be determined, there are different statements. The fort is no longer mentioned in the reinforcement lists of June 29, 1915 .

Armament

There is no reliable information about the armament regarding the gun material, the armored domes and their manufacturers. This is how the MVH (communications on the changes in the Italian army pro :) carried out:

  • four cannons 149 mm A / L 36 (tube length 5.36 m) in armored domes 140 mm (manufacturer: "Armstrong, Mitchell & Cie." in Pozzuoli ) This fits the remark of the MVH of May 1, 1914, in that of three-part dome shells is spoken.

The kuk Evidenzbureau, however, speaks in its "Directory of Fortification Systems" of 180 mm thick dome shells (160 mm shell thickness and 20 mm thickness of the separate inner skin), which refers to the two-part domes from Schneider-Creuzot with 149 mm S / L36- Cannons such as those installed in Forte Monte Verena and Forte Campolongo in 1913 to replace the three-part Armstrong systems originally used. The only thing that is certain is that four cannons with a caliber of 149 mm and another four 75 mm cannons were present in a connection battery.

It is also unclear whether the guns of Forte Monte Enna fired into the Italian trenches on Monte Giove on June 13, 1916, and if so, whether it was just short shots or, as rumors said, it was intentional Defenders to "cheer up"! In any case, the commandant was relieved and placed before a commission of inquiry.

The facility was not shelled and served the Italian army as an ammunition depot until it was abandoned in 1927.

The existing destruction is probably due to blasting attempts or practice blasting in the post-war period. An inspection is possible.

literature

  • Robert Striffler: From Fort Maso to Porta Manazzo: History of the construction and war of the Italian forts and batteries 1883-1916. Book Service South Tyrol E. Kienesberger, Nuremberg 2004, ISBN 978-3-923995-24-0 .
  • Ministero della Guerra - Comando del Corpo di Stato Maggiore - Ufficio Storico (ed.) L'Esercito Italiano nella Grande Guerra (1915–1918) - Volume I – III. Roma 1929–1937.
  • Pino Marchi: Non toccarono il verde piano. Cronache della battaglia di Monte Novegno: maggio - giugno 1916. Comune di Tretto 1968.
  • Vittorio Murari Bra: Sulla fronte della 1ª linea della 34ª Divisione colla Brigata Ivrea (161 ° –162 ° Regg. Fant.). Altopiano dei Sette Comuni 1915-1916. Torino 1922.

Coordinates: 45 ° 44 ′ 25 ″  N , 11 ° 17 ′ 40 ″  E

Remarks

  1. ↑ with pro the relevant date is meant
  2. ^ Striffler: From Fort Maso to Porta Manazzo. P. 91.
  3. ↑ that someone shot into it with artillery is undisputed - but who exactly it was and why is still unclear today.
  4. ↑ Marchi p. 19