Picnic on the front

Some of the commanders visited the front. However, visits above a level were nothing more than wartime picnics. The visitor did not go to the trenches, but observed the frontline from a distance. Even with the best binoculars, he could only see distant clouds of smoke and explosions. Since he remained out of range of the artillery, his life was not seriously threatened. Obviously, special care of the ruler’s physical health was taken, there is nothing surprising in this. But under such conditions, a visit to the front could really only be a pleasant excursion, nothing more.

Archduke Joseph, and perhaps some other high-ranking generals, visited the trenches too. For example, a service ticket on the Isonzo front stipulates that his visit must be properly prepared, that the section of the trench visited must be de-mudded with stone rubble. I don’t think these visits had any significance for the command of the troops either. Rather, they served inspirational propaganda purposes.

Cap badges recalling visits to the front were also made: Emperor Karl at the front, recalls the depicted badge. The photo attached to the post clearly shows the monarch watching from a great distance without any kind of cover. According to the caption of the picture, the scene takes place near the Fajti Hrib, but this was probably not the case, but the generals inspected the field section of Fajti from the distance