“… and suddenly the parabolic arch (of the Seghe-Schiri bridge) split into two stumps under the impact of our dynamite; rather that, than have the enemy set foot upon it.”
(G. De Mori)
In the second year of World War I, the Astico-Posina sector became a vitally important arena for the fate of the Italian army, when Archduke Karl Franz Joseph ordered his troops to launch a major offensive, known as the Strafexpedition, from their positions on the fortified plateaus of Lavarone and Folgaria.
On the eve of 15 May 1916, the only Italian front-line defences that had any chance of resisting were along mounts Toraro, Campomolon and Spitz di Tonezza due both to the terrain and to adequate numbers of troops. Counting on surprise, among other factors, the enemy operation was designed to breach Italy’s defences and open the way to the plain so that the Austrian army could occupy the cities of Bassano, Vicenza and Treviso. There were two directions of attack: the first was to descend along the Posina and Astico to Arsiero and, from there, to Thiene; the second was to cross the mountain line to the right of the Posina, from Colle Xomo to Priaforà-Summano, then to descend on Schio and launch a surprise rear attack on troops at Pasubio. The Italians managed to repel the attack on the Pasubio, but lost positions on the Astico front, especially on the Tonezza and Asiago plateaus. However, the Austrian march towards the plain was slowed by the speedy arrival of massive Italian reinforcements, with the Austrian advance failing to go beyond Schiri-Seghe and Velo d’Astico. One of the main acts that halted the Austrian advance was the destruction of the Schiri bridge.
Source: “Arsiero e il settore Astico Posina nella Guerra 1915-1918”, Amministrazione Comunale e Pro Arsiero, Stabilimento Fuga, 1966.
“Arsiero, panorama storico”, Angelo Busato, Tipolitografia G. Fuga e Figli, 1993.
