“MY FLIGHT TO VIENNA."

Hokitika Guardian, 17 October 1918, Page 4

“MY FLIGHT TO VIENNA."

With the Italians, Aug 9.

Major Gabriele d’Anuunzio, the poet, lias carried through another ol his great feats of war. This morning the air above Vienna throbbed to the engines of a squadron of Italian aeroplanes under his command. With eight machines at 9.30 a.m., d’Annuzio cruised above the centre of Vienna, circling about Graben, swinging round the Ringstrasse and from 3,000 ft dropping 200,000 manifestoes in Italian and German urging the Viennese to throw off their servitude to Prussia' and reminded them that these pro-' clamations might easily have been bombs. There was also a vigorous liDle address to the Viennese signed by d’Annunzio himself. Even in peace time it would have been a great flight—7oo miles there and back in 6 hours 85 minutes at an average height of just over 6,000 feet. But the credit of the enterprise in war is that for five and a half hours of its course the little Italian squadron was right in the heart of the enemy country. All but one of the eight Italian machines came hack. That one was seen planing down near Wiener Neustadt, and the pilot seemed to be leaning sideways in his seat as if his strength had given out in struggling with the stormy air conditions the squadron had met on its way. Tlie machines were the latest type ot fast Italian chaser, capable of 150 miles an hour, and all single-seaters except d’Annuiizio’s, which had a special observer’s seat built for him into the tiny fuselage 111 front of the pilot’s place.

For a week d’Annunzio had been ready to start each dawn, but the weather was too stormy. The squadron twice left the aerodrome, but it ran each time into such bad weather thaW.it had to turn hack, since for so long a flight it is indispensable that the sky should be clear enough for tlie airmen to pick up their landmarks. But to-day just before dawn the eastern horizon was of a pure pale jade, empty but for the stars. One after another the little machines darted off to meet the sun. As d’Anntmzio says, it was a triumph

of will over nature, for the Italian General Staff had decided to countermand the flight if it were longer delayed. ONLY ONE FOE SEEN EN ROUTE. “ I had made up my mind,” d’Annunzio told me, “ that be the weather what it might we would get there to-day. Our route lay over Cortellazzo, Cividale, Klagenfurt, Reiclieufels, Kapfenberg, Neuberg, and Wiener Neusladt. Coming back we took a parallel course to the east, crossing the top of the Adriatic with three Italian destroyers below in escort, “ Over Laibach there was a heavy barrage fire, but on the whole journey we saw 011I3' one enemy aeroplane —near Trieste. Yet if the Austrians had had it in them they could have telephoned from Vienna while we were there to have every chaser machine on their front up and waiting for us. Over Vienna lay a pale blue mist. Leaving our manifestoes drifting down in white showers behind us, we turned for Italy. Sad it was, though, on the homeward way to see beautiful captive. Trieste shining in the sun. “Twice on the return journey the tired engine stopped for a few seconds. Each time my pilot’s skill-coaxed it to action again.”

THE POET-WARRIOR. D’Annunzio is perhaps the most extraordinary personality that,~taud- s out against Ihe confusing background ol the war. Famous befoie as poet and dramatist, as the creator of a new Italian literature, i.c has affected the language of his country more profoundly than anyone since Dante ; a notable figure in society, much discussed for his luxurious tastes, he stepped into the forefront of the battle as a soldier when over 50 years old. Since then he has added exploit to exploit, stealing into enemy ports in small craft at night to torpedo battleships carry--nig out the longest and most danger - ous air raids.

He now regularly commands a squadron of picked young airmen. He is the great embodiment of the spirit of Italy to-day Rightly so indeed, lor more than anyone he laboured to create it. But among the honours and the homage which iiis feats of war have earned, he has the true modesty of the soldier and neither by bearing nor word claims greater credit "than that of having fought lor his country.