The Asiago Plateau—The Great War's Loveliest Battlefield (At Least Before and After)

Asiago Sacrario Militaire War Memorial

It's probably the prettiest place you can imagine a war being fought. From 1916 until the Armistice, however, it was the site of the same grim trench warfare featured on the war's other fronts. After the war, it eventually regained its beauty and is now a four-season tourist mecca.  MH

By Richard Galli

The Asiago Plateau has two local designations—the Trentino highlands or Altopiano, and the Sette Comuni or Seven Communities. Asiago is also the name of the largest of the seven communities and the location of the memorial shown above. The Altipiano is a natural citadel on a rugged highland plateau between the snowy Alps [to the north, east and west] and the rich Venetian plain [to the south.] It can be considered plateau only when compared to the towering Alps, for the Altipiano itself has mountains covered with dense coniferous forests and alpine meadows. Surrounded by an enormous escarpment, often of cliffs a thousand meters in height, the Altipiano rises from the lowland plains in only a few kilometers.

Major Battlefields of the Italian Front
1. Carso Plateau/Lower Isonzo 2. Caporetto/Upper Isonzo
3. Mountain Fighting 4. Asiago Plateau
5. Piave River Line (Post-Caporetto)

Since prehistoric times, the Altipiano has been home to the Cimbri people, a nomadic Bavarian tribe. The Cimbri have lived in harmony between the Austrian Tirol and Italian Veneto, trading in wool, cheese, and timber. These goods were carried down to the Brenta River valley on the amazing La Cala del Sasso, a medieval pathway of 4,444 wide stone steps. Avoiding conquest by both diplomacy and the isolated wilderness, the Cimbri had an independent state from 1310 to 1807. Each of the seven communities is a treasure in itself, with an individual culture, history, and identity. Their ancient Germanic language is reflected in place and surnames, as well as the communities themselves: Asiago-Sleghe, Lusiana-Lusaan, Enego-Genwhe, Foza-Wusche, Gallio-Ghel, RotzoRotz, and Roana-Robaan. The town of Asiago has always been the primary community in government, commerce, and society by its geography (it is in the very middle of the Altipiano) and topography (Asiago is surrounded by the largest meadows and is sheltered from the worst of winter storms.)

In the 19th Century, the area was divided between the Kingdom of Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Each community, by boundary and imperial policy, took on a more Austrian or Italian identity. To make matters worse, modern warfare viewed the Altopiano as an avenue of invasion, as opposed to ancient routes along the Adige or Brenta River valleys. 

War Damage to One of the Settlements

Both nations built a string of modern fortresses across the plateau. The Austrian Emperor Franz Josef called his forts "the iron girdle." These structures were not the outdated brick, earth, and stone forts of France or Belgium, hastily reinforced with a concrete shell and iron turrets. Both Austrian and Italian forts were modern, of solid concrete, reinforced with iron, incorporating the latest military technology.

Fort Verena, Overlooking the Plateau Fired the First Shots
of the War on the Italian Front

The first shots of the war between Austria and Italy were fired on the Altipiano. The Austrian forts proved their value in withstanding every Italian attack. Asiago, and most of this Trentino highland, were overrun by the Austrians twice—in the Spring Offensive of 1916 [also known as the Strafexpedition or "punishment offensive"] and the Fall Offensive of 1917. The latter is associated with the Battle of Caporetto and is called La Battaglia degli Altipiani by Italian historians. Other major battles on the plateau include the Italian counteroffensive of June 1916, Ortigara in June 1917, the Austrian offensive of June 1918 [also called the Battle of the Solstice or the Battle of the Piave], and the final rout/retreat of the Austrians in October 1918. The Austrians never once broke out of the confines of the Altipiano onto the open plains of Veneto, due to fierce Italian resistance, the rough terrain, and an influenza epidemic in the Austrian ranks during the winter of 1917/18.

 Asiago's Trenches: Then and Now

 

Evidence of these horrific battles increases as a person travels onto the Altipiano, especially above the timberline. Lower forests and meadows have absorbed the remains of war, as across all of Europe. Atop any ridge or peak however, the scars of trenches and shell holes can still be seen below. The fortresses were, for the most part, demolished (for iron) during the impoverished Thirties—destroyed more by scavenging than war! Fort Belvedere [formerly Gschwent] has been restored to its old stature and is now a museum. On the scarred rocky peaks of Ortigara it appears as if the battle ended only last year. 

Italian Prisoners Taken in the 1916 Strafexpedition

Across these forests and meadows are the graveyards of Italian, Austrian, and British troops who have found their final resting place. Some burials contain hundreds of men, others only one or two. In Asiago, Sacrario Militaire, the tomb of over 51,000 identified and unknown Italian and Austro-Hungarian soldiers, includes 12 soldiers awarded Italy's highest decoration, di Medaglia d'Oro al Valor Militare. As with all ossuaries in Italy, Il Sacrario is being added to yearly, as hiker, farmer, and forester find new remains.

Today Asiago and the Altipiano is known worldwide for its excellent cheeses and Grappa, as well as regionally for outdoor sports ranging from the tranquility of golf or cross-country skiing to the extreme in paragliding or back-country skiing. The area is discreet in its tourism—wandering for nature, mushrooms, or history can all be done in solitude. The Cimbri retain their pride in culture and survival; in the Altipiano, the mixture of Germanic and Latin encountered is ancient, not post-1918. Asiago has much to offer in year-round festivals, the arts, and the spectrum of history—it is the traveler's choice. 

The Entire Sette Comuni 

Last but not least, there are also several splendid guidebooks that study the Great War on the Altipiano, museums at Il Sacrario and Canove di Roana, the old forts, cemeteries, and battlefields. Everywhere across the Asiago plateau are reminders of the region's depth of involvement in La Grande Guerra.

Leatherneck Warrior: The Biography of General Lemuel C. Shepherd Jr.

The 5th Marines on Review, May 1918

By Colonel Richard D. Camp, USMC (ret.)

Casemate, 2025

Reviewed by Dennis Linton

Leatherneck Warrior is a compelling and comprehensive account of one of the Marine Corps’s most distinguished figures. The biography portrays Gen. Shepherd as a man of exceptional valor, leadership, and dedication, whose career spanned three major wars and left an indelible mark on American military history.

The biography begins with Shepherd’s early life in Tidewater, Virginia, where his potential was clear from a young age. Graduating early from the Virginia Military Institute, Shepherd’s military journey began with World War I, where he showed extraordinary bravery at the Battle of Belleau Wood, earning multiple commendations. Despite being wounded twice, "Shepherd declined medical treatment after being wounded and continued courageously to lead his men." (DSC citation) The chapters on the fighting at Belleau Wood and the USMC contribution to the success of the St. Mihiel offensive, when he was wounded for the third time, will be the most interesting content to readers of this blog and students of World War I.

Shepherd’s resilience and strategic acumen continued to shine through World War II and the Korean War, making him one of the rare “three-war Marines.” His leadership during the Battle of Okinawa and the Inchon landings is highlighted as pivotal moments in his career, showcasing his ability to lead and inspire his troops under the most challenging circumstances.

As the 20th Commandant of the Marine Corps, Shepherd’s influence extended beyond the battlefield. He was instrumental in modernizing the Marine Corps, ensuring its readiness for future challenges, and advocating for the welfare of Marines and their families. His legacy is cemented through his contributions to the Corps’s traditions and public image, including the iconic Marine Corps War Memorial.

Click HERE To Order

Colonel de Camp’s biography is not just a recounting of historical events. It is a profound exploration of Shepherd’s character and contributions. Through detailed narratives and personal anecdotes from Shepherd’s oral history and journals, Leatherneck Warrior offers readers an inspiring testament to what it means to lead and serve with honor.

Dennis Linton

Former President Taft's Forgotten World War I Involvement

William Howard Taft
27th President of the United States

Before his presidency, William Howard Taft had been an invaluable public servant. He had served President Theodore Roosevelt exceedingly well as governor-general of the Philippines and as Secretary of War during his second administration. With help from Roosevelt, but also with much work on his own, Taft secured the Republican nomination in 1908, then triumphed over his Democratic opponent William Jennings Bryan. Taft was a quiet, competent president, who kept the nation out of war (notably the Mexican Revolution) and improved relations with Canada.  

Roosevelt, however, felt that Taft's approach had been insufficiently activist and concluded that he alone could lead the nation in the right direction. Taft did not view the presidency as a "Bully Pulpit" for urging support for a progressive program. Roosevelt recklessly decided to challenge Taft for the Republican nomination. After Taft prevailed, at a bitterly contested national convention, Roosevelt refused to accept defeat. Putting personal pride over the party of which he had been a member his whole life, Roosevelt formed a new third party, thereby ensuring that Wilson would win the election.  

Taft's enormous skills and experience, nevertheless, subsequently kept him  involved in the affairs of  the nation after he left office. Here, it must be pointed out that the cartoonish portrayal of him, then and now—granted he was America's stoutest president—is very misleading. He was always ambitious, highly energized, and productive in any pursuit he chose to follow. After leaving office, he lived in New Haven and taught at Yale. He gave dozens of major speeches; he wrote articles and books; and he established himself as a bipartisan senior statesman. Then came war.

Inevitably, like Roosevelt, his voice would be heard during the run-up to America's involvement in the war; and, unlike Roosevelt, he would be trusted enough by President Wilson to hold an appointive position in the wartime government and be welcomed as a supporter and advisor. Below are some of the numerous ways Taft made his views known or contributed to the war effort. The tragedy of the war had deeply concerned Taft from its outbreak. In September 1914, he wrote to a friend, "I never expected to live to see such a disaster to the human race."

League to Enforce the Peace, 1915
President Taft Center

1.  The League to Enforce Peace

In 1915, as the European war expanded into a World War,  both former presidents Roosevelt and Taft encouraged the formation of an international organization to agree upon the arbitration of disputes and to guarantee the territorial integrity of its members by maintaining military forces sufficient to defeat those of any non-member. Many notable Americans enlisted in the effort, and they elected William Howard Taft as their first president. The group remained consistent advocates for an international approach to avoiding war up to the group's dissolution in 1923.

2.  The Preparedness Movement

He supported the national movement to prepare for hostilities if America was drawn into the war after the Lusitania sinking. In March 1917, Taft demonstrated his personal commitment to the effort by joining the Connecticut State Guard. Although he continually advocated peace, he strongly favored conscription once the United States entered the conflict, pleading publicly that the United States not fight a "finicky" war. He feared the war would be long but was for fighting it out to a finish, given what he viewed as "Germany's brutality."

Taft Sees His Youngest Son Charles Off to War

3.  The American Red Cross

Taft served as a chairman of the American Red Cross's executive committee, contributing to humanitarian efforts during the war. On behalf of the organization, in 1916, Taft made an appeal to the State Department to ask the British government to allow humanitarian aid to pass to the Central Powers.

4.  The Legal Argument for America's Declaration of War

Two months after Congress declared war, the former president made a speech at Union College explaining the legal justification for calling the nation to war. It served as a rallying call for Americans to support the war effort, while concluding that significant sacrifices would be needed before the war could be won.  A text of the full speech can be found HERE.  

5.  The Covenanter

In the summer of 1919,  the League to Enforce Peace published a book of essays, The Covenanter: An American Exposition of the Covenant of the League of Nations, modeled on the Federalist Papers. It delivered a copy to every member of Congress.  Harvard President A. Lawrence Lowell, former Attorney-General George W. Wickersham, and former President Taft were the co-authors. The former president was the co-author of this collection of essays modeled on the Federalist Papers

6. The National War Labor Board

During the First World War, he accepted an invitation from President Wilson to serve as co-chairman of the National War Labor Board, a role in which he often sided with labor against management. Although it opposed the disruption of war production by strikes, it supported an eight-hour day for workers, equal pay for women, and the right to organize unions and bargain collectively. Its most memorable action was advising President Wilson to temporarily nationalize Western Union's vast telegram line network for the duration of the war to avoid a strike.

A Pro-Labor Poster from the War

7.  The League of Nations

After the Armistice, Taft actively supported Woodrow Wilson's attempts to persuade Congress to agree that United States should join the League of Nations.

When Chief Justice Edward White died in 1921, President Warren Harding named Taft as the next chief justice. Although Taft was not a great president, he is considered an outstanding chief justice. He served until his death in 1930.

Sources:   Portions of this article was adapted from  political biographer Walter Stahr's website HERE. (Mr. Stahr has a biography in preparation on President Taft.); Supreme Court sources; Spartacus; Wikipedia; Library of Congress

Loos 1915: The British Respond with Gas to Germany's First Gas Attack

German Soldiers Among Some of the Allied Gas
Casualties During the Second Battle of Ypres

Click on Text Boxes to Enlarge

First Gas: Second Ypres, 22 April 1915

Response: Loos, 24 September 1915

Loos Battlefield

British Soldiers Advancing through the Gas

British Advance During the Battle

Source: Chemical Warfare in World War I: The American Experience, 1917-1918, U.S. Army, 1984

And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda—Music Video by the Pogues

Lonesome Memorials #14: Monumento aos Mortos da Grande Guerra; Lisbon, Portugal

So, in 1990 I found myself in Lisbon during the Iberian phase of my mini-grand tour of Europe. My  hotel was on the upper end of the capital's stylish grand boulevard, Avenue da Liberdade, that slopes down just about a mile from one of  the city's hills straight down to its waterfront. Walking down on a drizzly morning, I found the views were approximately like strolling down California Street from San Francisco's Nob Hill to the Embarcadero and the atmospherics similar to the Champs-Élysées. About half-way down—to my great surprise—I came across the impressive World War One memorial shown above. Before or since, I cannot remember another imposing Great War memorial surrounded by such elegance. I later learned its name is Monumento aos Mortos da Grande Guerra. It's intent, though, was immediately clear as a national memorial to Portugal's war dead.

The Fatherland Honors His Warrior

In other lands, Portugal's small, but unfortunate involvement in the war is mostly forgotten today. The country’s participation in the conflict was limited in scale—deploying to  France, where, for a time, they held a small sector of the Western Front and Africa, where Portuguese and German territory sat side by side. In both sectors, however, their casualties were disproportionately high given the size of the deployments. In Africa, some 7,000–8,000 African and European men died, mostly in Mozambique and predominantly from disease. In France, the number of fatalities stands at close to 2,000 with 5,000 wounded and 200 MIA. Thousands also were captured as well in the spring of 1918. Afterward, as for every other combatant of the war, Portugal's leaders and citizenry felt obliged to honor their fallen.

The Burden of War

Building this "Monument to the Dead of the Great War" was a decade-long endeavor, first proposed in 1920 and finally dedicated in 1931. Its top figure—The Fatherland—crowns a Portuguese soldier, who is wearing a Brodie-style British helmet, as he would have on the Western Front. On the sides, two heroic figures support the Fatherland in a supreme effort. The monument bears the captions "Grande Guerra" and "In the Service of the Fatherland, the Effort of the Flock." Annual commemorations are held at the monument every 9 April,  marking the date in 1918 when nation's expeditionary force on the Western Front was targeted in the opening action of Germany's second spring offensive. Things went terribly that day for Portugal's soldiers.

Soldier's Kit Detail

For information on Portugal's deployments and operations during the war, see our articles HERE and HERE.

What Happened to Zita, the Last Empress of Austria-Hungary?

Happy Days: Zita with Emperor Franz Josef and Her Husband, Future Emperor Karl

By Martin Mutschlechner

Born on 9 May 1892, Zita was the daughter of Duke Robert of Bourbon-Parma (1848–1907), the last sovereign of the minor northern Italian duchy before the unification of Italy, and the latter’s second wife, Maria Antonia von Braganza (1862–1959), who was a member of the Portuguese royal family.

Zita grew up in a large family in which several languages were spoken, and her upbringing and education were shaped by strict Catholic principles.

Her childhood was spent partly at the Villa Borbone delle Pianore in Camaiore on the coast of Liguria (Italy) and partly at Schloss Schwarzau in Lower Austria. There the family cultivated close contacts with exiled monarchs and their supporters who had been granted exile in Lower Austria as guests of Emperor Franz Joseph. Frohsdorf for example was the seat in exile of the Spanish Carlists, while the Portuguese Miguelists had settled in Seebenstein. This background was to have an enduring influence on Zita’s views, confirming her legitimist principles. 

It was at Schwarzau that Zita was married to Archduke Karl of Austria on 21 October 1911. The occasion was recorded on film, one of the very few cinematic documents of the imperial family’s private life.

The marriage of Zita and the designated heir to the Austrian throne and later emperor Karl I seems to have been very happy. Biographers unanimously agree that Zita had great influence over Karl. With her energetic personality and her unbending will she pushed her vacillating husband to arrive at decisions. As empress, she had a politically significant position and accompanied her husband, who was her intellectual inferior, wherever he went. Her influence on Karl’s politics can be seen clearly in the Sixtus Affair, in which she was heavily involved. When this secret peace initiative failed, Zita was vilified as a traitor by German Nationalists because of her Bourbon descent.

Funeral of Emperor Karl I, 1922

Even after Karl’s fall from power Zita continued to be his most important source of support in exile. She accompanied her husband on his second failed attempt to restore himself to the throne in Hungary and followed him into exile. After his early death in 1922, Zita assumed the role of defender of the dynastic rights of her eight children, the last of whom was born after Karl’s death. She systematically brought together all the legitimist monarchist movements in Central Europe and built up her eldest son, Otto, as pretender to the Habsburg throne, actively supporting him in his political ambitions after he gained his majority. Thanks to her authority, the former empress became the central figure in the Habsburg-Lorraine family in the difficult times after the loss of the crown.

Zita with Her Daughter and Granddaughter, c. 1980s

During the Second World War, which she spent in exile in Canada, she became an influential advocate for the restoration of Austria’s independence, but after 1945 she mainly focused her energies on the beatification process for her late husband [which he was in 2004]. From the early 1960s Zita lived a secluded life in a Catholic old-age home in Zizers in Switzerland. She gave numerous interviews in which she proved to be an interesting witness to her times. However, her memoirs give a very subjective and in some respects historically distorted picture, glorifying her as the militant defender of Habsburg claims.

Reconciliation with the Republic of Austria was finally achieved in 1982, when the former empress, who had been denied entry to Austria, was allowed to set foot on Austrian soil for the first time again on the initiative of Federal Chancellor Bruno Kreisky.

Zita's Funeral, 1989

Zita died on 14 March 1989 in Zizers at the age of 96. After her 1 April funeral at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna, she was interred according to Habsburg dynastic tradition in the crypt of the Church of the Capuchin Friars also in Vienna. However, her heart was buried in the new Habsburg family crypt at Muri Abbey in the northern Swiss canton of Aargau, in keeping with her last wishes as recorded in her will. The Austrian government allowed Zita's burial on Austrian soil on the condition that the Habsburg dynasty would bear the costs of the funeral.

Sources: The World of the Habsburgs; Schloss Schonbrunn Kultur

The Dead Man's Penny

 

Medallion of Private Robert John Bruce, AIF

By Ken Wright

Somewhere amongst the vandalized graves, rusting wrought iron railing, and a few empty beer bottles, lies the final resting place of Private Robert John Bruce of C Company, 46th Battalion, Australian Imperial Forces. His grave in the Will Rook Cemetery, located in Melbourne's outer suburb of Broadmeadows, is almost impossible to find as many graves have long since disappeared through years of wanton destruction and an indifferent public appreciation of the historical significance of the cemetery.

Private Bruce was wounded at Pozières on 4 August 1916 during the Battle of the Somme and after eight weeks in hospital returned to fight at Bullecourt and Ypres, and after another wounding was invalided home on 18 September 1917. Unfortunately, he died of war-related injuries on 21 November 1918, aged 33. His parents, John and Mary Bruce, laid their son to rest with due reverence and the knowledge that he had made the supreme sacrifice for king and country. As the next of kin, a grateful British government sent his parents a Memorial Death Plaque commonly called the "Dead Man's Penny" by the troops.

The history of the Dead Man's Penny began in 1916 with the realization by the British Government that some form of an official token of gratitude should be given to the fallen service men and women's bereaved next of kin. The enormous casualty figures not anticipated at the start of WWI back in 1914 prompted this gesture of recognition. In 1917, the government announced a competition to design a suitable plaque with a prize of 250 pounds. There were 800 entries from all over the empire, the Dominions, and even from the troops on the Western Front. Mr E Carter Preston of Liverpool, England, was the eventual winner.

The selected design was a 12-centimetre disk cast in bronze gunmetal, which incorporated the following: an image of Britannia and a lion, two dolphins representing Britain's sea power, and the emblem of Imperial Germany's eagle being torn to pieces by another lion. Britannia is holding an oak spray with leaves and acorns. Beneath this was a rectangular tablet where the deceased individual's name was cast into the plaque. No rank was given, as it was intended to show equality in their sacrifice. On the outer edge of the disk, the words, 'He died for freedom and honour.'

Private Robert John Bruce, AIF, and His Final Resting Place

A scroll, 27 x 17 centimeters, made of slightly darkened parchment headed by the Royal Coat of Arms accompanied the plaque with a carefully chosen passage written in Old English script,

He whom this scroll commemorates was numbered among those who, at the call of King and Country, left all that was dear to them, endured hardness, faced anger, and generally passed out of sight of men by the path of duty and sacrifice, giving up their own lives that others may live in freedom. Let those who come after see to it that his name be not forgotten.

Beneath this passage, written in the same style, was the name, and rank and service details of the deceased. To accompany the scroll, again in Old English script, a personal message from King George V. 

I join with my grateful people in sending you this memorial of a brave life given for others in the Great War.

George R.I.

The plaques were packaged in stiff cardboard wrapping folded like an envelope and sent to the next of kin. Production of the plaques and scrolls, which was supposed to be financed by German reparation money, began in 1919 with approximately 1,150,000 issued. They commemorated those who fell between 4 August 1914 and 10 January 1920 for home, Western Europe, and the Dominions whilst the final date for the other theatres of war or for those died of attributable causes was 30 April 1920.

Unfortunately, the production and delivery of the plaques was not a complete success, and the scheme ended before all the families or next of kin of the deceased received the official recognition they should have. There were some relatives who returned the pennies to the Australian government in protest as they felt it was insulting and did not replace their loved one's life. Of course, nothing can replace a life lost, but for those 'Dead Man's Pennies' that are in private or public collections, museums, and national archives, they are a constant reminder of the ultimate price paid by the men and women of the armed services during the Great War of 1914–1918.

© Ken Wright, 2004

First News Reports of the Second Battle of Ypres

For some years I've been interested in examining how newspapers covered unfolding, "breaking", major episodes from the war.  I thought it would be particularly interesting to see, 1) how promptly news of the event appeared,  2) how generally accurate the material provided the public was, 3) the amount of detail that survived after passing through official censorship, and 4) if the reports contained any examples of clear misinformation.

Recently, wife and head researcher Donna discovered that the Library of Congress has fairly extensive holdings (April 1915–May 1916)—available online—of the wartime British newspaper Daily Sketch.  I decided a good event to focus on from this period is the surprise opening to the Second Battle of Ypres, which was the first large-scale gas attack on the Western Front. Below are my clippings from the two issues that focused on the initial fighting.  I believe that all mentions pertinent to the Second Ypres, which opened late in the day on 22 April are included. At the end of this article, I'll present a little journalistic scorecard based on the four points I listed above. By the way, on neither day did the outbreak of the battle, which—historically—was undoubtedly the Big News of the day, make the front cover.

Many people in Britain came to see World War I through the prism of the newspapers, all of which devoted extensive coverage to the war. The Daily Sketch was a British tabloid newspaper, established in Manchester in 1909 by Sir Edward Hulton (1869–1925), one of the leading newspaper proprietors of his era. Hulton soon moved the paper to London, where it competed with the other leading British tabloid, the Daily Mirror.

Hulton early recognized the possibilities of picture journalism, and the front and back pages of the Daily Sketch always were given over completely to photographs. During the war, however,  these did not seem to include many combat action images. Most copy and almost all photos were dedicated to the wounded and to war heroes; information about the activities of the British royal family and other notables; news about the home front; features about women and families; short articles on political and social issues; cartoons; serialized stories; and advertisements. The wartime issues generally ran to 16 pages, sometimes 12.

24 April 1915 Issue

(No Sunday Edition)

26 April 1915

My "Scorecard" for the Reporting

1) Promptness:

Given that the gas attack began late Thursday and the usual fog and confusion of war,  first reports with some level of detail appearing by Saturday seems impressive to me.  

2) Accuracy:

On general points—the scale of the attack,  the focus on the French section of the line, the use of gas, and the early German success—pretty good. Some details seem questionable but not crazy sounding.

3) Level of Detail and Censorship

The level of censorship can only be inferred, but it doesn't seem unreasonable given the military necessities. Never trust the casualty figures from the high commands is an eternal truth. It's quite impressive that the Daily Sketch was able and willing to quote German, French, and Belgian official statements, apparently unrevised. The level of detail was, as might be expected much improved on the second day of reporting.

4) Misinformation

I didn't spot any blatant cases, but readers are encouraged to post their observations in the comments section.

5)  Overall

A surprising B+ for the editors and reporters of Daily Sketch.

Source: Library of Congress

Remembering a Veteran: Flight Lieutenant Andrew Frederick Weatherby Beauchamp-Proctor VC, DSO, MC, DFC (1894–1921)

Sculpture Capping Beauchamp-Proctor's Grave,  
Mafeking, S.A.

By James Patton

Born on 4 Sept 1894 at Mossel Bay, Cape Colony, South Africa, he was a son of Capt. John James Proctor and Frances Weatherby Proctor. His father later established an ancestral connection to the Beauchamps, an ancient distinguished family of Norman origin, which had counted in their midst dukes, earls, viscounts and barons. He then changed his surname to Beauchamp-Proctor, thus  making his children Weatherby Beauchamp-Proctors.

John was a teacher and headmaster who had served as an officer in the militia in both  the Basuto Gun War (1880–01) and the South African War (1899–1902). Son Andrew was educated locally until  his father secured a position at College House, a part of the South African College Schools (SACS), the oldest and most prestigious public school in the country. Andrew matriculated at College House in 1906, then pursued an engineering degree at the University of Cape Town. 

Beauchamp-Proctor

On 1 Oct 1914 he left his studies to enlist as a signaller in the “Duke’s” (from 1867 to 2019 the Duke of Edinburgh’s Own Rifles, now The Chief Langalibalele Rifles). He served in Louis Botha’s South West Africa Campaign (1914–15). Having learned Morse Code, Andrew was first assigned to The South African Field Telegraph and Postal Corps, then in August 1915 returned to the  university, where he completed another year.  

He then volunteered for the Royal Flying Corps. On 12 Mar 1917 he qualified as a 3rd Class Air Mechanic, and a month later he joined the Officer Cadet Battalion at Farnborough. After commissioning he trained at Castle Bromwich, Netheravon and Upavon, where he gained his wings after only five hours of solo flight, in spite of destroying the landing gear on a plane. Since he was only 62 inches tall, his aircraft had to be modified by raising the seat and extending the rudder bar. 

An S.E.5a of 84 Squadron 

On  29 July 1917, he was assigned to No. 84 Squadron, an observation unit which was reforming as fighters, flying the S.E.5a. They became operational in France on  21 Sept 1917. No. 84 would record 323 aerial victories and have 25 aces on the roster, the leading one of whom was Andrew. He was never a great pilot, with many hard landings on his record, but his gunnery skill was uncanny. 

He didn’t score his first victory until January 1918, but in February he had four more, becoming an ace and receiving the Military Cross (MC), as was customary. There were four victories in March, only one in April, but 11 in May, including five in one day, which netted him a second MC and promotions to captain and flight leader. In June, he scored seven more,  then took a month’s UK leave during which he made recruiting appearances.

On  3 Aug 1918, he was one of first recipients of the new Distinguished Flying Cross for being "a brilliant and fearless leader of our offensive patrols." During that month, he notched another 15 victories. In September he added four more, and in the first eight days of October, he got seven more (including three Fokker DVIIs). On 8 Oct 1918, he was hit by ground fire while on a strafing run at Maretz, near St. Quentin. He managed to land at Assevilliers and was evacuated to the Northumberland War Hospital in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. On 2 Nov 1918 he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) and on 30 Nov the King bestowed upon him the Victoria Cross (VC). Today Andrew’s VC is one of the 250+ medals in the collection of the billionaire Lord Michael Ashcroft. 

Beauchamp-Proctor (rt) at a 1919 Event in the U.S.

The VC Citation reads:

Between August 8th, 1918, and October 8th, 1918, this officer proved himself victor in twenty six decisive combats, destroying twelve enemy kite balloons, ten enemy aircraft, and driving down four other enemy aircraft completely out of control. Between October 1st, 1918, and October 5th, 1918, he destroyed two enemy scouts, burnt three enemy kite balloons, and drove down one enemy scout completely out of control. On October 1st, 1918, in a general engagement with about twenty-eight machines, he crashed one Fokker biplane near Fontaine and a second near Ramicourt; on October 2nd he burnt a hostile balloon near Selvigny; on October 3rd he drove down, completely out of control, an enemy scout near Mont d’Origny, and burnt a hostile balloon; on October 5th the third hostile balloon near Bohain. On October 8th, 1918, while flying home at a low altitude, after destroying an enemy two-seater near Maretz, he was painfully wounded in the arm by machine-gun fire, but, continuing, he landed safely at his aerodrome, and after making his report was admitted to hospital. In all he has proved himself conqueror over fifty-four foes, destroying twenty-two enemy machines, sixteen enemy kite balloons, and driving down sixteen enemy aircraft completely out of control. Captain Beauchamp-Proctor’s work in attacking enemy troops on the ground and in reconnaissance during the withdrawal following on the Battle of St. Quentin from March 21st, 1918, and during the victorious advance of our Armies commencing on August 8th, has been almost unsurpassed in its brilliancy, and as such has made an impression on those serving in his squadron and those around him that will not be easily forgotten.

Following his release from hospital in March 1919, Andrew joined a War Heroes tour in America raising money for Liberty Loans. Upon his return to the UK, he reported to the Seaplane Station, Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire. After qualifying in a seaplane, he spent time as an instructor at the RAF Cadet College, Cranwell, and the Central Flying School, Upavon. At the formal investiture ceremony for his VC on 27 Nov 1919, the King granted Andrew a one-year leave. He returned to Cape Town and a hero’s welcome, and resumed his studies. He graduated with a BSc in Mechanical Engineering at the end of 1920. 

During the short period 3 Jan–8 Oct 1918, and with a month out for leave in July,  Andrew destroyed 22 enemy aircraft and 16 kite balloons in the air and forced down a further 16 aircraft. These 54 victories made him the fifth-highest ranking RFC/RAF ace of the Great War and to date the most highly decorated military figure in South African history.

Inscriptions on  Beauchamp-Proctor's Grave,  
Mafeking, S.A.

Back in the UK, he was selected to perform at the RAF Pageant, Hendon, but was killed on 21 June 1921 while practicing near Upavon. He was flying a Sopwith Snipe, an aircraft powered by a tricky rotary engine, with which he was not familiar. Originally he was  buried with full military honours at Upavon Church Cemetery under a standard Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) headstone. Later, in August 1921 his remains were relocated to St. John’s Church Cemetery, Mafeking, then in Cape Province, South Africa. This cemetery has only five CWGC burials (two are WWII-related), but it rates a Cross of Sacrifice. Plus, his CWGC headstone remains at Upavon, which has 95 CWGC graves..

Sources include especially the VCGC Association and  the Second Supplement to The London Gazette of 29 November 1918. 30 November 1918, Numb. 31042, p. 14204