ITALIANS FIGHTING A BIG BATTLE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2482, 8 June 1915, Page 5

ITALIANS FIGHTING A BIG BATTLE

< NAVAL DIVISION'S CAREER OF DESTRUCTION THE GALICIAN BATTLES RUSSIAN COUNTER-STROKE DEVELOPING FRENCH ' SUCCESS IN THE WEST ; GALLANT STAND BY THE COLONIALS Tile first important battle of the Austro-Italian oampaign is now raging, states a telegram in the war news from Rome to-day, and its developments are favourable to the Italians. The whole of the oper- ■ ations concerned with the concentration of heavy masses of Italian troops at various points along the front of the offensive line are being slowly but successfully accomplished. An Italian naval division has carried o)it a destructive tour of : the enemy's coast. In the Western theatre the French offensive is being vigorously and successfully pressed, new ground has (been gained, and the enemy's counterattacks everywhere repulsed. The news from the Dardanelles theatre to-day recounts the splendid work of a small body of colonial troops, under Major Dawson, in defending a valuable position against tremendous odds. Had the position been lost the British on that front would have been driven back on the beach, with disastrous results. But the position was not lost, The heavy casualties sustained by the Turks is said to be weakening the enemy's confidence. The successful operations of the Allies' submarines in the Sea of Marmora has expelled the enemy's shipping, and tied up the Turkish military transport arrangements. In the Eastern theatre the situation is brightening, and to-day's news shows that the Russian counter-offensive is beginning to gather a deadly harvest. There have been large captures, and on one front the Germans have been obliged to fall back a distance of eight miles, in order to relieve the pressure on their Austrian friends. More is' heard of the Huns' poison tactics, and of the appalling tortures inflicted on the troops who aro unfortunate to be caught in the fumes.