Official Italian Photograph 



the: black cross of defeat 



An Austrian airplane brought down on the Italian front 



to feel the deadly blows from above. 

 Fires in arsenals, shipyards, and ware- 

 houses began to flare in the wake of low- 

 flying machines, and the noise of the anti- 

 aircraft guns was mingled indistinguish- 

 ably with the detonation of exploding 

 bombs. 



Releasing their remaining explosives 

 upon the island of San Marco, the two 

 squadrons, unscathed by the shots from 

 the fort batteries, successfully eluded the 

 Austrian airplanes and made the return 

 flight without loss or further incident, 

 having performed one of the most extra- 

 ordinary feats of the war. Cattaro was 

 supposed to be Austria's most inaccessible 

 naval base. 



While not so noteworthy in the char- 

 acter of its military mission, even more 

 thrilling was the bombing raid carried out 

 by a squadron of twelve Capronis from 

 a base near Pordenone, the objective be- 

 ing a strong Austrian railway center and 

 supply depot ioo miles distant. 



The bombing machines were under the 

 direction of Squadron Commander Bar- 

 bieri, mounted in an airplane piloted by 

 Captains Salomone and Bailo. 



Scarcely had the fleet taken the air 

 when a dense fog was encountered. In 

 it several of the units became separated 

 from the main group, and among these 

 was the machine of the commander. 

 When the enemy lines were reached 

 Colonel Barbieri was cut oft from his 

 companions, and the Austrian pursuit 

 planes singled out the commander for 

 destruction. 



A terrible battle ensued, the Barbieri 

 airplane being attacked on all sides by 

 the Austrian combat planes. The Italian 

 pilots jockeyed for position with daring 

 evolutions, while their machine - gun 

 spurted a constant stream of bullets. 

 Finally, Colonel Barbieri, who was work- 

 ing the forward aircraft gun, was struck 

 in the forehead and lay lifeless on his 

 weapon. 



But the struggle continued, for Cap- 

 tain Bailo, who had left Captain Salo- 

 mone to steer the airplane, worked the 

 rear machine-gun without a moment's 

 pause. Soon he also was hit and fell 

 dead in his seat. Still Salomone would 

 not surrender. Seated between his dead 

 companions, tense over his controls, he 



45 



