:: AIRFIELD / STORY
The story of Busiago's Military airport starts with requisition of Cesare Busetto's property, through a formal communication of Campo San Martino's Mayor, on the cold morning of December 7th, 1917.
Caporetto has just passed and the situation is dramatic: this is not a strategic retreat, but a real emotive collapse that overwhelms everybody. It is necessary to withdraw detachments, installations and headquarters; wide lands of Busiago offer ideal conditions for installing runways, shelters and soldiers for the new force: Aeronautics.
“By order of the Supreme Airforce Service Headquarter, the meadow said San Donà and its surroundings are to be arranged as airfield. Works are starting immediately”, this message was written on the occupation act signed by lieutenant Eng. Vittorio Almagià … on the back of his visit card (!)
Works start in the depth of winter, ditches and irrigation channels are silted up, new roads are opened, the airplanes runway has to be traced, barracks for soldiers are arranged (“without windows” as a pilot remembers in one of his letters).
The airfield, which is about
500 meters
long in Nord-Est direction, leads directly to Montello hills. For Italian aviators a few minutes of straight flight are sufficient to reach the fighting point, face to face with the enemy.
In June 1918 the crucial intense battle, broken by the enemy, was raging on Piave river; Francesco Baracca died.
Everything is ready at Busiago for squadrons arrival: 89th and 90th squadrons, together united in the XXI Group at Captain Francesco Fourquet order, who was assigned to the bombing squadron.
In August war's destiny is already uncertain and air raids follow one another from both sides (on 9th D'annunzio flies on Wien). Even towns near Busiago are bombed by the enemy (like Cittadella and Castelfranco), therefore it becomes convenient to enlarge the Busiago's military airport on new divisions arrival.
The XXII Storm takes active part in the Vittorio Veneto battle, with air attacks to military bases, railways and mobile troops. On 27th October the storm reaches about thirty missions arranged against the enemy.
The sudden German falling down and Vittorio Veneto battle mark the end of the conflict, but the military structure dismantling will be longer and tragic: on 12th December lieutenant Carlo Roccari, 18th squadron's leader, crashed to the ground during a training flight.
The war, arrived at Busiago on wings of SVA 5, leaves a very difficult economical situation: harvests are loosen and agricultural activities are completely upset.
The desperate need to find sustenance here and in nearby towns is documented by long needy people lists. Labour for requisitioned farms reconversion is drawn among those registers.
This real situation is in contrast with the exasperating military bureaucracy slowness, weighed by lots of requests, like lands return and indemnities payment: also Minister of Agriculture is involved.
During 1919 summer the last soldier leaves Busiago, reorganized squadrons fly to Africa (Libia), the lands are definitely restored in 1921.
Nothing will ever be like before…
