One of the largest mass graves of World War I may have been discovered above the Tonale Pass in Trentino. The skeletal remains of twelve Austrian soldiers and some personal equipment were found there. However, the hope of identifying the dead is slim. A diary was to provide the decisive clue to the mass grave.
In addition to the soldiers’ bones, equipment such as crampons, boots, gas mask cases, tools and other items were also found, local media reported. However, their condition is very bad and it is very difficult to establish the identity of the fallen.
Grandpa’s Diary
The find can be traced back to research by Sergio Boem, the grandson of an officer in the First World War. He had discovered a grandfather’s diary containing information about a mass grave near the Tonale Pass containing the bodies of dozens of soldiers who had died on June 13, 1918, during the so-called Operation Avalanche.
Boem’s perseverance proved this to be true and that one of the shell holes found above the Tonale Pass actually contained the remains of fallen soldiers of the Austro-Hungarian army. According to Boem, there would be many other bodies there.
Bones are examined
The newly discovered remains, recovered by archaeologists from the Lombard city of Mantua, are currently being analyzed bioanthropologically by Professor Daniel Gaudio of the University of Durham in the UK. In consultation with the Austrian Black Cross, they should then be buried in a military cemetery.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
