Excerpt from ATTACKS
By Field Marshal Erwin Rommel

The other units of the battalion had attempted to come to our assistance during the pursuit and during the fighting on the west bank of the Piave. Immediately after the capture of the Italian positions west of Cimolais, Major Sproesser had initiated pursuit with the signal company of the Wurttemberg Mountain Battalion and the 1st Battalion of the 26th Imperial and Royal Rifle Regiment. This movement was contrary to the orders of the 43d Infantry Brigade. The nature of the terrain and the type of combat we were engaged in were such that relief by other units was unfeasible. On arrival in St. Martino, Major Sproesser again received orders from the 43d Rifle Brigade:

"The Wurttemberg Mountain Battalion will halt, camp, and spend the night in the mill at Erto. The 26th Rifle Regiment takes over the advance guard."

Major Sproesser answered:

"The reinforced Wurttemberg Mountain Battalion is fighting at Longarone and requests infantry support on the pass road and the forwarding of the 377th Imperial and Royal Mountain Howitzer Detachment."

The tenacity with which Major Sproesser stuck to his task, and his refusal to be diverted by orders of the 43d Brigade caused Captain Kremling, the commander of the 1st Battalion of the 26th Imperial and Royal Rifle Regiment, to remark: "I don't know which I should admire more, your courage before the enemy or your courage before your superiors."

Toward noon, Major Sproesser reached the exit of the Vajont ravine eleven hundred yards east of Longarone. It took some time for the signal company and units of the 1st Battalion of the 26th to work their way out of the ravine, which was being subjected to heavy enemy fire. Then the signal company relieved the 3d Company, which was advancing toward Dogna, and fired on the retiring enemy from the heights just south of the debouchment of the Vajont ravine road.