Trip to Versuvius 19th March 1944

On Saturday night 18th March 1944 at about 1700 hrs, Versuvius was first seen to have started erupting again, the first time for many years.
I went on top of the roof of the building in which I was billeted and saw a sight I never dreamed I would ever see - Verusvius in eruption. It was really a magnificent sight. The top of the volcano was fred with fire and streams of red hot molten lava could be seen moving steadily down the slopes. The following day, I was to be one of a party who had arranged to visit the crater of Versuvius, and at that time wondered if our visit would have to be postponed.
The following day (Sunday 19th March 1944) Versuvius was still very actgive but it was decided that our party should go as arranged. We set off by road in a lorry and eventually arrived at Pugliano railway station from where we entrained for the trip up the mountain side. The train was an electric one and before starting we were told that the train could only go so far up as the streams of lava had crossed the rails higher up. The train set off at an easy and comfortable speed. steadily climbing all the way. The view from the train was very interesting, the land on the slopes being farmed, fruit trees etc., amidst which dwelling houses could be seen. After travelling for a few miles we eventually came to a part of the railway where a steeper ascent begins. A stop was made here and a car fitted with a more powerful motor designed to engage with the rack rail taking up its position behind us to supply us with the motive power for the steeper portion of the journey (estimated gradient 1 in 4). It seemed rather peculiar going up and one had much difficulty in keeping on the seat. We eventually reached the first observatory, which I should think is just over half way up the mountain. There er detrained as that was as far as the train could go. At that point we picked upa guide who started off walking at a terrific pace across the slopes of Versuvius. I dont know whether he thought we were used to mountaineering, but he kept the pace up and needless to say we soon started to drag behind. The guide was leading us to one of the streams of molten lava which was moving steadily down the mountain, choosing the easiest way which was a kind of valley. All the while we were making for this stream we were walking or jumping over lava which was the result of a previous eruption (1906). With our heavey army boots on, a peculiar sound was made as the foot came into contact with this old lava, a metalic sound like as though one was walking on metal. The stream we visited was not so large as others which were moving down the other side of Versuvius towards villages in the direction of Pompei. (I have also visited the now excavated town of Pompei). The stream of lava which was before us was approx 100 feet wide and about 7 or 8 feet high and was moving at the rate of approx 300 yards an hour. The heat was terrific as we stood in the path of the lava, our nearest approach to it being about 8 feet, but the heat would not prermit one to stand so close for more than a few seconds. I mentioned before that the course this peticular stream was taking, was down a valley. Across this valley approx every three of four hundred yards were walls built about 15 to 20 feet high; these walls formed a sort of reservoir; the thickness of the walls being about 10 feet at the bottom and 6 feet at the top. When we first arrived there, the stream of lava was about 25 feet away from such a wall. The the short time we were there, the lava moving steadily on its way reached the wall on which we had been standing just a few minutes before, and the lava started falling over the wall and slowly but surely filling up the reservoir formed by one of the walls. In a very short time the great space began to fill; all trees and shrubs the lava set fire to and crushed; nothing lives in the wake of this molten destruction. As the reservoir filled up the weight against the next wall became over-bearing and the wall could not stand the strain and a few bricks began to fall, very shortly the whole wall gave way under the pressure of the millions of tons of molten lava. I noticed a few people just managed to get off the wall in time. From our position we could plainly hear the rumbling noises in Versuvius's crator, and see thousands of tons of molten lava thrown high into the air; it seemed sinister and truthfully I did'nt feel safe even though we were quite a distance from the crator. The journey back was very much the same as the forward journey. I do feel very fortunate at being able to visit Versuvius at a time when she is in all her glory and showing her natural instinct to the outside world, which is a sight never to be forgotten. I was very fortunate in being able to witness the eruption of Versuvius from the beginning to the end. The eruption continued for well over a week, and the many streams of lava surging down the slopes made a very picturesque sight at night time, lighting up the country side for miles around. When the lava ceased to flow, Versuvius poured forth ash and dust which went thousands of feet into the air and darkened the skies for miles around. The towns and villages over which this ash and dust settled and the country side were inches deep. Towns and villages were evacuated. The small town of San Sadastiano was eventually completely engulfed by the lava. Other odd hamlets and houses standing on the slopes were also eliminated. 26 people were killed and thousands rendered homeless and thousands of acres of rich fertile soil and crops were destroyed. The last heavey eruption of Versuvius was in 1906 which altered the shape of the cone and lessoned the height of the mountaiun by nearly one thousand feet. In this recent eruption her shape has altered once again, and her height lessoned a few more hundred feet. When I last saw Versuvius she was quiet and looked just like another hill towering high into the skied; yet deep down in her inside she will be hot, red molten lava still bubbling inside her bowels, waiting patiently for the time to cause death and destruction to the outside world again - a magnificent sight for those a long way off - but horror to those who live near her. I wonder if she will show herself to the world again - I wonder

This account was typed by my late Father in Masrch 1944.

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