A STIRRING EXPLOIT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 229, 15 June 1918, Page 7

A STIRRING EXPLOIT

THE SINKING OF THE AUSTRIAN DREADNOUGHTS

STORY OF ITALIAN HEROISM

Milan, Juno 13. The torpedoing of two powerful Austrian warships .is the most serious blow yet inflicted on the Austrian Navy. Italinu light torpedo boats have made many daring incursions into enemy waters, but (his seems the niosi. daring of all. The torpedo boats boldly joined the Austrian torpedo boat escorts and steamed side Inside with them in the darkness. They seized an opportune moment; to deal tho fatal blow, and twice torpedoed a 22,000ton battleship, and hit an armoured cruiser with a third torpedo, before the enemy was aware of their presence. Captain Bizzo, who commanded the expedition,' has had a brilliant career. Ho is thirty years of age, and was trained in the mercantile murine. He has engaged in many- raids off Iho Adriatic eoiisi. From the Gulf of Trieste ho assisted in protecting the army's retreat to the Piave. He penetrated Trieste harbour on December 9, 1917. and torpedoed the cruiser Wien. lie achieved his latest performance without mishap. —Aus.-N.Z. Cabto Assn. CAPTAIN BIZZO'S STORY. < Venice, June 13. Tilr. Ward Price had an interview with Captain Rizzo, who said he ■was going slow in order to reduce' the noise of the motors and tho size of the wash, when the Austrian whistles sounded Uio alarm. There was no time to lose. "Tho Dreadnought had not. yet sighted me, so .1. carried on till I.wns within two hundred yards, and then fired the torpedoes. The first hit between tho funnels and tlie second astern of the aftermost tunnel. The other Italian patrol Iwat camo up, and fired at the second Dreadnought.- Her first torpedo missed, but the second hit and exploded." The torpedo-boats, continued Captain Bizzo, danced hither and thither, firing wildly. One. followed Kizzo so closely that ho decided to throw over two depth charges while running. One exploded below ,i torpedo boat, which reeled like a drunken man. The following day an. Italian destroyer saw a damaged enemy destroyer being towed home." Italian seaplane aviators state that tho wreckage of the Dreadnoughts' covers a square mile of water. There is one. now at Tola, instead of tln'Pe.-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. AN AUSTRIAN' ADMISSION. (Bee. June 15, 0.35 a.m.) • - • Amsterdam, June 13. The Austrians admit that the 20,000ton battleship Szent Istvan was torpodoed and sunk. Ono hundred oraeers and men were.drowned.— Aus.-jN.Z. Coble Assn.