THE AUSTRIAN DISASTER AT GORIZIA

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2848, 12 August 1916, Page 9

THE AUSTRIAN DISASTER AT GORIZIA

CONQUERORS MARCH IN HOW THE GREAT COUP WAS PLANNED The High Commissioner reports:— : . ■ ■ London, August 10, 6.30 p.m. An Italian official report says: '.'ln the Gorizia -area our troops liave continued, to cross ; the Isonzo,. our cavalry and, cyclists advancing to. .east of the town' under heavy fire- . Heavy losses have been sustained by the enemy, several hundreds being taken prisoner. The total captures iip,.fo.-the ■ present are 268 officers and 12,07-2 men." .. .. ...... ITALIAN OFFICIAL-COMMUNIQUE. (By Telegraph—Press Asciojlr.tion.--Copyright). AustraH*n-New Zealand Cable-Association,. " (Rcc. August 11, 2.30 p.m.) London, August 10. An Italian, official communique states: "Our cavalry,and cyclists, pressing eastward of Gorizia, made many dashing charges, inflicting heavy losses and taking hundreds of prisoners. We pierced strong_ .entrenchments northeast of San Michelo and near San Mar tino, and occupied Boschini. Prisoners are still arriving. Hie total to date is 268- officers and .11,072 men, with great quantities of material. Tho captures includo .eighteen aeroplanes and the military depots at Para vacini. and Doberdo. "Hostile aircraft bombed Venice. Two people were killed, and some damage was <lonc."" . ■ > . .. KING EMMANUEL RIDES INTO GORIZIA FINAL,SCENES IN THE CAPTURE.. ■ '. New York, August 10. • The "Evening World's" llome correspondent states that Emmanuel, riding alongside the Puke of-Aosta., entered Gorizia,'followed by the'cavalry and-cycle corps. The Dulse of Ao6ta was with the-troop's for three "days be-fore-the fall of the fortress. Notwith standing tho desperate fighting the'city was not destroyed by. the artillery fire.. Many thousands.of the inhabitants had previously 'evacuated the city. The Italians arc being particularly careful to avoid unnecessary damage to the buildings. The fighting for the bridgehead was oho of the sanguinary episodes of the war. Before the final sorties the bridge' was named Death Pass.. During, the fighting a large'number of Austrians were drowned. ..'They, repelled (; the advance till too late to escape by the bridge. 'After the fall of the. bridgehead the entrance to'the city, was comparatively easy. ' Messages from Gorizia relate that several hundred Italian residents who had been living underground, in Gorizia for several weeks'rushed out and greeted-their, victorious'-countrymen; bringing flowers and Italian flags from concealed-places. They led the way to other underground caverns, where thou T sands of Austrians who were in hiding were taken prisoner: "AVANTI ITALIA!" • ("Tho Times."' ■ ■ ■ • (Rec. August Jl, .8.15 p.m.) London, August 11. General Cadorria's order before the attack, on Gorizia began -was: "You must march. like the impetus of an overwhelming avalanche, nothing stopping you. Avanti Italia!" AUSTRIANS' WHOLE DEFENSIVE SYSTEM COLLAPSED Australian-New Zealand C-ablo Association. ....(Rec. August 11, 5.45 p.m.) . ; . . Rome, August 10. During the Italian bombardment two palaces in Gorizia, occupied by the staffs of two Austrian divisional commands, collapsed, and bodies were found in the niins. The Austrian defeat is colossal and complete—perhaps the most disastrous of the whole war. After tho fall of the enemy's defences at Sabotino, San Michelc, and Podgora, their whole defensive system broke down. Nevertheless, they defended Gorizia to the last moment, furiously fighting, in tho streets and bouses. Many of the latter were -blown up with their garrisons. The Italians are now attacking eastward of the town. The roads leading to the eastern heights aro covered with masses of Austrian corpses. . HOW CADORNA FIRED THE MINE IKeutor's Telegram.) (Rcc. August 11, 10.30 p.m.) Rome, August 11. The area of the enemy's territory which has been captured bv tho Italians is twenty kilometres (12 miles) lou;;,, and five kilometres (3 miles) deep. The fact is; semi-olficially emphasised that the Austrians had especially strengthened Gorizia, which was niadc a strategio pivot, The rapidity of the Italian success was due, not merely to tho formidablo attack of the artillery and tho determination of the infantry, but to the secrecy of the preparations. The Austrians had imagined that their invasion of the Trciitino had exhausted tho Italians, but General Cadorna, while maintaining the pressure in the Trentino, took advantage of his inner lines of communication between tho Trentino and tho Isonzo, rapidly transported troops and material to the Isonzo, and launched his offeusivo at a chosen moment, with terriblo and irresistible vio. lence.. . ' . DRIPPING, CONQUERORS .ENTER GORIZIA..' . ' • (Router's Telegram.) ■ Rome, August 10. The Duko of Aosta was in'command of the troops, at tho capture of Gorizia. Tho first trOops forded the Isonzo, tho bridges over which had been -blown up, and marched through the streets with tho water dripping- from their uniforms. ■ The inhabitants welcomed the Italians. Thousands of tho enemy wero hidden in caves, and were made prisoners. It is officially" announced that.21,750 (? see High Commissioner's report)' prisoners wero taken, and provision and munition depots . were secured, almost ' intact. Several.batteries of the heaviest calibre guns were captured,

AUSTRIAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. Australian-New Zealand. Cable Association. (Rec. August 11, 8.15 p.m.) London, August 11. An Austrian official communique states: "Owing to the situation arising from the evacuation of the bridgehead at Gorizia, the town .was given, up after a sanguinary battle. ' We repulsed fresh Italian attacks on the Doberdo Plateau. The required straightening of our line was carried out unhindered. Wo were unable to save six. guns when the Italians entered the Gorizia bridgehead. Tho enemy's strongest efforts on August. 9 were directed against the Plava sector. Pour attacks on Zazcorga and the three heights eastward of Plava broke against our firm resistance. "Retaliating on the Italian battleplane attaok on Fiume, twenty-one Austrian aeroplanes bombed the arsenal, railway station, and military objects in Venice, with ravaging results. Threo and a half tons .of explosives' were dropped. Our aeroplanes returned unharmed." HOW THE NEWS WAS RECEIVED IN VIENNA, PARIS, AND LONDON. London, August 10. Vienna is indignant at tho_ fall of Gorizia. It is statod that the Archduke Joseph may be recalled. It is reported that Austro-Hungarian Socialists are being secretly encouraged by tho Government-in agitating for a separate peace. . _ Paris *s excited, declaring that Gorizia was Austria's Verdun. Gustare Herne, in "La Victoire," says: "Tho breaking up of the enemy has begun. To-day it is Gorizia; to-morrow it will be Lomberg, then in a few weeks a general debacle." —: The British Press is captions. It unanimously points out that possibly Austria is collapsing, but that Germany .is still strong.- "The Times" points out that tho great natural fortified Carso Plateau, of' which the Isonzo Valley is the moat, must be conquered before Trieste is reached.