must be attributed much of the confusion of the retirement and the
abandonment of the military equipment that was still to the east of the
Tagliamento when the pressure of the enemy finally compelled their
destruction.

[Sidenote: Germans try to cross the upper course of Tagliamento.]

[Sidenote: Enemies who cross are killed or captured.]

The Germans fully realized the formidable obstacle to the retreat of the
Italians which this rain-swollen river constituted, and they made a
determined effort to secure for themselves a passage across its upper
course while the Second and Third Armies to the south were not yet
behind the stream. There is a bridge a few miles west of the town of
Gemona which was not being used by the retreating army because of its
comparatively flimsy construction. The Tagliamento, then very high, was,
like many mountain streams, subject to very rapid rises and falls.
Therefore, part of the enemy advance-guard, which was following up the
Italian retirement was pushed on ahead to try to obtain control of this
bridge at Gemona, for use at any rate when the waters had sunk a little.
This German detachment forced its way across the bridge with
considerable courage, some of them being swept away by the swift stream
pouring over it, but on the other bank they were immediately faced with
stout resistance by the Italian rear-guard, and with their backs to the
river virtually all the enemy who had crossed the Tagliamento were
killed or captured.

[Sidenote: Gallant conduct of the rear-guard.]

The gallant and skilful conduct of the rear-guard of the Italian army