“November 4th.  Noon.  The war against Austria-Hungary which ... the Italian Army, inferior in numbers and resources, undertook on the 24th of May, 1915, and with unconquerable faith and stubborn valour conducted uninterruptedly and bitterly for 41 months, has been won.  The great battle begun on the 24th October, in which there took part 51 Italian Divisions, 3 British, 1 French, 1 Czecho-Slovak and 1 American Regiment against 73 Austrian Divisions, is finished....  The Austrian Army is annihilated.  It has suffered very heavy losses in the fierce resistance of the first days of the struggle and in the pursuit; it has lost immense quantities of material of every kind and almost all its magazines and depots; it has left in our hands, up to the present, about 300,000 prisoners with complete staffs and not less than 5000 guns.[1] The remnants of what was once one of the most powerful Armies in the world are now flowing back in disorder and without hope up the mountain valleys down which they came with proud self-assurance.”

[Footnote 1:  These figures increased later to more than 430,000 prisoners and 6800 guns.]

“November 4th, 4 p.m.  According to the conditions of the armistice ... hostilities by land, sea and air on all the fronts of Austria-Hungary have been suspended at 3 p.m. to-day.”

“November 6th.  At 3 p.m. on the 4th of November our troops had reached Sluderno in the Val Venosta, the Pass of Mendola and the Defile of Salomo in the Val d’Adige, Cembra in the Val d’Avisio, Levico in the Val Sugana, Fiera di Primiero, Pontebba, Plezzo, Tolmino, Gorizia, Cervignano, Aquileia and Grado.”

Some of these names filled me with memories of a year, and more than a year, ago.  Old Natale’s message to the enemy chalked on our hut at Pec had come true.  We had soon come back.

* * * * *

The fighting was over!  That night of the 4th of November all the sky was lit up with bonfires and the firing of coloured rockets and white Very lights.  One could hear bells ringing in the distance, back toward Treviso, and singing and cheering everywhere.  It was an hour of perfection, and of accomplishment; it was the ending of a story.  An epic cycle of history was finished, the cycle of the wars of Italy against Austria.  The task of completing Italian unity was finished, so far as a series of wars could finish it.

   “The fight is done, but the banner won;
    Thy comrades of old have borne it hence,
    Have borne it in triumph hence. 
    Then the soldier spake from the deep, dark grave: 
    ‘I am content.’”

The soldier had done his duty, now let the statesman do no less.  Let wisdom and imagination make sure the fruits of valour.

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