UKC

VIDEO: Via Ferrata and WWI

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 UKC Videos 04 Jan 2016
[Via Ferrata and WWI]
Mark Reeves explores the wartime origins of via ferrata, first constructed when Austria and Italy slugged it out in the Dolomites

Watch the video: http://www.ukclimbing.com/videos/play.php?i=2928
 Trangia 04 Jan 2016
In reply to UKC Videos:

Very interesting. The mountain warfare was grim, even more so in winter when tens of thousands of Italian and Austrian soldiers died in avalanches, often triggered by the enemy artillery firing onto the slopes above their positions.

After the disastrous Battle of Caporetto in 1917 British troops were sent to help bolster the routed Italians in this mountain battle ground. The Italians also executed an unprecedented number of their own soldiers for alleged cowardice. I don't think much has been written in English about the British involvement in this fighting. Vera Brittain touches on it in Testament of Youth as her brother fought and was killed on this front.
 James Rushforth Global Crag Moderator 04 Jan 2016
In reply to UKC Videos:

For anyone interested in some more info I highly recommend the 'White War': http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-White-War-Italian-1915-1919/dp/0571223346 which is a great and scary read.

Little bit more info regarding via ferrata in the war to be found at: http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=6918
 DerwentDiluted 04 Jan 2016
In reply to UKC Videos:

Always interesting the origins of VF, I really need to do more in that part of the world as it combines my two main interests. Thanks for the book recommendations, I'll hunt them down.

Somewhere I have a pair of heel crampons from those battles. Grim stuff as Trangia says, like the western front but with vertigo.
 Trangia 04 Jan 2016
In reply to James Rushforth:

Thanks for the book recommendations
 maxsmith 04 Jan 2016
In reply to UKC Videos:

Mark reminds me of Johnny Depp in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Enjoyed the video, thanks for taking the time to make it
Removed User 05 Jan 2016
In reply to maxsmith:

> Mark reminds me of Johnny Depp in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Yelling 'you people killed Jesus' at Italians?

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