Excerpt from ATTACKS
By Field Marshal Erwin Rommel

Preparations for this undertaking were in full swing. The crews of four heavy machine guns were just about to bring their guns into positions eighty yards in front of the barricade, when a sudden burst of machine gun fire hit us in the flank. Our own machine guns in Dogna were firing! The order to cease fire had not been transmitted to them. Sparks flew everywhere.

We tried to take cover and in doing so created quite a rumpus as the machine-gun equipment was banged around. The roadblock opened up, and several machine guns began to sweep the area in which we had taken cover. Machine-gun fire at eighty yards, without a chance of taking cover, is enough to drive one crazy! Death stands very near at such moments. We ourselves did not get a chance to fire. The heavy machine-gun equipment was not assembled. We lay for minutes in the worst kind of crossfire. An attempt to take care of the enemy behind the barricade with hand grenades failed. The distance was too great. To attack on a narrow road against the fire of several machine guns was impossible. We sought shelter under semicircular recesses in the road wall, and when fire struck here from the flank, in the ditch to the left. Throwing hand grenades only increased the volume of fire from the roadblock. Losses mounted! Among others, the leader of the machine-gun company of the 26th Rifle Regiment lay severely wounded in the ditch to the left. It was a good thing that the night considerably decreased the Italians' accuracy.

The undertaking was a total failure and it remained to get away as quickly as possible without suffering excessive losses. I was pinned down by fire. By word of mouth I transmitted the order to withdraw to the bridge near Pirago. The units farther to the rear disengaged themselves with ease but those up front had a more difficult time. Moments when the enemy fire died down were rare. They were taken advantage of for short, quick sprints. We covered a few yards only to be forced to earth again when the machine guns opened up.