Livek in the Itailian Mountains

On Marie's recommendation we drove up into the mountains bordering Italy and Slovenia to investigate the WW 1 trenches. These have been protected and repaired, the area regarded as an outdoor museum. 

For 29 months from 1915 to 24 October 1917 the Italian troops were camped on the mountain tops while across the valley the Austro Hungarian and German forces held the other side of the valley. For 2.5 years all they did was trade  gunfire back and forth. After 11 unsuccessful Italian offences the Germans finally took control and mounted the 12th and successful raid to beat the Italian troops back into the middle of Italy and end that particular campaign. The trenches provided a transport line from Gorcia on the coast to the mountains. 300,000 troops died,  most from the cold and the elements in this particular region, with over another 700,000 dying after the German assault. From a village called Log Mortenson to south of Kobarid  is The Peace Walk very similar to that of the Queen Charlotte walkway, covering the distance the Italian troops attempted to defend their  mountain boundary along the trenchway. The walk looks interesting and passes some interesting sights associated with the war. If only there was more time? The views across the mountain tops and down the valleys was fantastic, on this a lovely warm summer day. The photos in the Kobarid museum of the winter tell a different story. 

Marie tells me that the people in the Soca Valley were all which includes Kobarid repatriated mostly to Naples. Most never returned to the valley. Those that went to Austria  developed new life styles and those that went to Naples discovered warm winters, why would you return? The houses in  the Soca valley were shelled, the valley floor expunged with mustard gas with a lieutenant Rommel in command. A definite familiar name. 

Kobaraid was again part of the Second World War, although then on the extremities of Yugoslavia,   as the troops moved again up to the mountains to defend the Italian border. Oh the travesty  of war to such a beautiful region.