TRANSPORT AT 7000 FT. ABOVE SEA LEVEL
Page 18
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
How the Allies Kept in Touch With Italy Over Alpine Roads.
On the top of the pass of Montgenevre, between France and Italy, there is a massive stone column commemorating the passage. of NaPolenn's armies over the Alps: into Italy. If any similar mondmeat were erected to commemorate the war of 1914-1918, it should be placed on the OP of Mont Cents, by the side of t.he road which acted as the main communication between the two countries.
The importance of these roads over the Alps has never been fully realized by the general public. BetWeen France and Italy there are two railroad lines, one going through Mont Corns and the other crossing the frontier at Vintimille,• near the shores of the Mediterranean. The Simplon Pass, , going through Switzerland, could not, be used for Allied wartraffic. Thus practically all our traffic with Italy and by the overland route to Salonica and Egypt had to be by way of the Mont Cenis Pass.
As this line was altogether inadequate to meet war requirements, steps were taken to use the roads as much as possible. Very early in the war Italy became an important supplier of motor vehicles to the Allies, and particularly the French Armies...Most of these cars and lorries were delivered by road over the Alps. The F.I.A.T. Co. ran regular and, daily convoys of 20 to 60 cars or lorries, on the Italian side of the Alps, from Turin over the Mont Cenis Pass to IVIodatte. The distance from Turin to Medan° is only 80• miles, but 21. miles of •this distance are steady climbing, and the altitude attained is about 7.000 P. One set., of drivers was kept exelneivelv on this work, and as the, men were thoroughly experienced and well acquainted with the roads, foille thousands of cais were delivered over the Alps, notwithstanding the exceedingly difficult nature of the country.
At one of the forts at Modane the French Army maintained .a staff of officers and men who received the motor vehicles brought in by road, and subsequently drove them to Lyons, 130 miles away, where they were fully equipped before being sent to the Front. Before being despatched from Turin all these motor lorries had been examined and tested by officers of the French Army. The trip over the mountains constituted an additional test of a really severe character. As a further precaution the Fiat Co, maintained a staff of mechanics at Modems to carry out any adjustments or repairs which might have become necessary as the remit of this trip by road. Usually from the end a November to the month of May all the better roads over the Alps are snowed up. The au. therities realized that they could not allow these roads to be lost to them, and during the winter of 1916-1917 they put several thousand men on the Mont Cenis Pass and on the Montgenevre Pass in order to keen the roads free from anew. The same thing was done during the winter of 1917-1918, and had the war continued 3,000 German or Austrian prisoners would have been employed clearing snow off the PriontGenie Pass during, the winter of 1918-1919.
After the Capnretto disaster in No,
vember, 1917, the traffic across the .Alps was nearly all from France to -Italy. All civilian traffic was stopped, and for several weeks an. unending stream of military trains passed over the Mont Cents and the Vintimille lines carrying English and French Teinforeetnents who gave temporary aid to Italy. ,Every road over the Alps was Made use of at this
eritical period, 'The French employed the Mont Cenis Pass and the Montgenevre Pass, while the English took the easier but longer route by way of the Mediterranean shores. Even at this time of the year the passes were beginning to be snowed up, but by the aid of territorial troops and prisoners the roads were kept open on all the passes until the necessary aid had been supplied tO the Italian Artily. • . • Practically all the aeroplanes which the Sia Co., g, filial of the Fiat .concern, supplied to the Preach and American armies in. France_ were delivered under their own power Ost-er the Alps. As the highest peak is 10,000 ft. above sea level, it was necessary for the planes to cress at an altitude of not less than 14,000 ft. As a precaution against a forced landing, a big aerodrome was prepared on the top. of Mont. Cenis, 7,000 ft. above sea level. The aeroplanes climbed to the necessary height while above the plains, but if any accident occurred while they were over the mountains they were able to glide down to the Mont anis landing ground, the position of Which was clearly defined by a huge white. cross on the ground, .