ATTEMPT TO SURPRISE THE ITALIANS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2488, 15 June 1915, Page 5

ATTEMPT TO SURPRISE THE ITALIANS

DETECTED IN TIME COUNTER-ATTACK, RETREAT, AND CONFUSION Rome, June 13. Seven thousand Austrians participated in a. surprise Attack oil tho. Italian rear at Morito Nero. The force was divided inlc- throe columns, arid followed ' a nnrftnv mountain track, with niachiiic;gims strapped to the mules. , The AJfiiili detected the Inovement. The Italians were ordered to lie conI cealed, and tho Au&trianfc fill into the trap. The Alpini and Bersaglicri sprang from rocks, tfe4«, fbtcheti and jtnd attacked fuvfettrfv, '.heir macliae-inuiß Battered the Austrian. rc»t.

The Austrians after « desperate resistance retired. Some of their mules with tho machine-guns fell over precipices. AUSTRIAN COMPANIES SURPRISED WHILE ASLEEP. •< j i • , , ,„ , Rome. June 13A document signed by General Rohr, found on a captured Austrian officer, states that an inquiry has been opened into a grave dereliction of duty by an Austrian detachment in failing lamentably in a sector where tiluy might easily have held tho Itafians, who clambered over rooks in the rain and uii'st. broke the Austrian front, and came upon two companies of reserves o.sleep. ITALIAN OCCUPATION OF CiRADISCA. Rome, June 13. r lho Italians "ceupied Gradisca (on the Isonzo, six miles north of the Gulf of Trieste) on Tuesday. , The announcement wqs delayed until both sides of the Isonzo Diver -were in Italian possession, and the permanent occupancy of the two assured. ITALIAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE Rome, June 13. Official—"Skirmishing continues on the Tyrol and Trontino frontiers. "The enemy continues to retreat in tho Carnic Alps. "The Alpini have captured the Volais Pass. "Some prisoners were taken on themiddle Isonzo. We succeeded ill a sudden attack on tho left bank of the river, near Plava. The enemy fiercely counter-attacked, but ultimately retired, leaving numerous dead and 200 prisoners. "On the lower Isonzo. our heavy ai tillery destroyed a dyke near Sagrado, with which the enemy had flooded the country, and impeded our advance." SUCCESSFUL RAID BY ITALIAN AIRSHIP Rome, Jun« 13. The "Messagero" states that the Italian dirigible which, raided Pola (the chief naval station of almost completely destroyed the arsenal. Nearby there were six warships, including one battleship and two cruisers, and several submarines. A number were damaged. Bombs also struck several floating docks. BIG ATTACK ON GORIZIA BEGUN CRoc. June 14, 8 p.m.) T , ttv , , London, June 14. in the Udine operations, the attack on Gorizia (also spelt Gorz) has practically begun. The Italians are bombarding the fortifications of Santa Maria San Pietro, San Marco, and Santa Lucia, besides the Austrian position in the mountains dominating Gorizia, especially Mount San Gahriellc. North-west of Gorizia, the railway communication north and south has been cut. The Austrians' main plan is to prevent the Italians crossing tho Isonzo River between Tolmino and Gradisco, believing that forces at these points, acting in conjunction, mil form an insurmountable barrier to the capture of Plava and Descla by the Italians, and upset their plan of altr.ck. HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. The High Commissioner reports:— London, June 14, 3 a.m. "Tho Italian advance continues, abd their artillery is demolishing the enemy's fortified works on the Tyrol and Trentino frontier. "The Italians have captured tho Volais Pass and the crossings of the Isonzo, near Plava." SPLENDID HEROISM OF AN ITALIAN COLONEL (Rec. June 14, 9 p.m.) _ . T.. London, June 14. On the Udine front King Victor Emanuel decorated Colonel Rossi with a medal for valour. Colonel Rossi led his column across tho Isonzo against a strong position. At a critical moment the pontoon bridge was swept away and the Austrians immediately hurled a strong force against tho Italians' and attempted to sweep them into the river. ' Colonel Ilossi charged in the face of a terrible fire, and his Bersaglieri broko through the enemy, which was holding the bridgehead, and stormed the artillery, whicn was commanding tho river. Colonel Rossi fell, wounded, but exhorted his men to continue until the position had b6en won. SERIOUS FOOD RIOTS AT BUDAPEST. r i i , • , , • „ Zurloh, June 13. Intense heat in Austria-Hungary and a drought since April are causing auxioty regarding the harvest. ' There lias been serious rioting in Budapest owing to the dearness of food. Beef is costing 3s. 4d. a pound. A mob attacked butchers' and provision shops.