Battery Predil
The Predil Battery is an Austro-Hungarian fortification built on the shores of Lake Predil on the Italian-Slovenian border. Work started on June 22, 1897, and ended on Sept. 24, 1899. Predil's armament was 3 12 cm guns, and an unspecified amount of 8 mm machine guns.[1] Despite being located at 1,125m (3,712ft) up, Predil couldn't engage an enemy at long range because of the building site.[2]
World War I
[edit]Before Italy's declaration of war on May 23, 1915, the drilling out of a cave battery was begun. By the time that Italy declared war most of the guns were still in the fort due to a lack of drills to carve out the battery. Between May 25 and 26, the first guns were moved into the cave battery. On May 27, Italian 21 cm mortars bombarded the fort. By June 5, all personnel except the sentries were removed from the fort.[1]
Between June 7 and 11, the second gun was removed and placed in the cave battery. On June 12, Italian 30.5 cm shells began raining down on the fort. Between June 16 and 21, the third and final gun was removed to the cave battery. Later in the war, the Italians realised that the guns were emplaced in a cave battery and tried to destroy the openings of the battery, but with no success. During the Austrian Capporetto Offensive of 1917, the guns were removed from the cave battery and were used as mobile artillery.[1]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 "Batteria Sella Predil". www.fortificazioni.net. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
- ↑ "Battery Of Sella Predil - Tarvisio - TracesOfWar.com". www.tracesofwar.com. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
- Forts in Italy
- 19th-century fortifications
- Military installations established in 1899
- 1899 establishments in Italy
- 19th-century architecture in Italy
- Buildings and structures in Bergamo
- History of Bergamo
- Tourist attractions in Bergamo
- Buildings and structures in Trentino
- History of Trentino
- Austro-Hungarian Army
- Military history of Austria-Hungary
- 1899 establishments in Austria-Hungary