THE BATTLE FOR MONTELLO

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 233, 20 June 1918, Page 5

THE BATTLE FOR MONTELLO

I AUSTRIANS GAIN THE RIDGE i •— \ ' GENERAL SITUATION WELL IN HAND [ _— By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright. ! tl , , . , , , „ „ . Vancouver, June 18. -Uo Austnans have reached the Italian second line to a depth of three ; miles on fifteen miles of front between Zenson and tho Adriatic, in a thrust 1 towards Venice. The. enemy states that he has captured 30,000 prisoners and has reached the Fosetta Canal.—Router. SITUATION "EXCELLENT." mi. r. i r, >■ • ~, , London, Juno 18. . lne i'rench Press is satisfied that the Austrian offensive is a failure. Britii a ? ™ °, h ,S llltav ? critil; ? aro of °P inion that th ° Italian situation is excellent, iho battle rn tho moimtains in Northern Italy is dying down, but is fiercer towards tho sea, The Italian Command is satisfied it is able to hold the enemy. The principal battlo is raging for tho Montello orest, which is crossed from north to south by a number of roads, which, if taken, will enablo the Austnans to dominate from the flank the rear of the Italian positions on tho Piave.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ENEMY'S' LOSSES SIX TIMES HEAVIES, THAN THE BRITISH. • , , ~ T , ~ London, June 18. A correspondent on tho Italian front states that the enemy's losses on the British sector were nearly six times as heavy as the British. Tho general result might suggest a highly successful British assault. Captured documents show that the Austnans hoped on Sunday to secure tho heights commanding the whole of the Astico Valley.-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. AUSTRIAN LINES AT MONTELLO AND SANTA DONA. The latest news indicates that the enemy positions on the Montello H?U and • at santa Dona are exposed to concentrated Italian fire, and will soon bo untenable un ess they aro supported by a general advance on tho Piave front Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THE PRESENT POSITION DEFINED ALL SECURE EXCEPT THE MO NTELLO SECTOR. (Rec. June 19, 8.55 p.m.) i Ml /,„ii' aly 1 Te P°. rts that the present position on the Italian front is"™ fill lows: "The Austrians have 'reached tiuTright bank of tho Co rm the Coneg.lano railway'fa, tho Zenson bend, advancing about a mile. The Austrian, have reached the second Italian l.no on a three-mile front between Zenson and ho sea. They have thrown fourteen bridges across tho Piave and secured twothirds of .the rising ground near Montello. Otherwise they have made iS progress since Monday. The Austrians apparently aro trying to"link up the ' wo bridgeheads on the Piavo ront Already the AustriaVhave used Thirty! %. the,r «^ ck . inck >ding «ne division of dismounted cavalry The enemy and the Piave bridges are incessantly bombed and machine-gunned bv aeropWes The Italian Command feels comfortable over the present position except at Montello. Plenty of reserves are available Danger oerhinlv oJkS regarding Montello, but the'position is not est ernescriZ ° 'The sins ad wf f r OU F o mlleS T T\ ry Sloffy ,' , Thß Bri « sh f ™t is almost intact. T oAus rfan losses are neavy. They could have made further progress if they had seriously desired, and their lack of persistence s possibly due to disaffection H certainly some demoralisation."-Au9.-N.rCable Assn. <11Saflectlon - lhci6 18 INTENSE CONFLICT ON THE PIAVE STUPENDOUS LOSSES INFLICTED ON THE ENEMY. (Rec. June 19, 9.15 p.m.) . The din of battle is now loudest on the Piave, having leasentti tho" mountain front, where tho enemy's losses have been stupendous - 41on<- a twonrv li™ mile front between the Val d'Aas, and Mont Tomba tto Austria slot ftill? one third of their storm troops, which were left strewn on tho ground before their withdrawal to the original entrenchments. No fowor than ninn d«nnrot« „L saults on Mount Grappa, always with fresh n£erv« failedbef r tie Z?my !l sisted. The craggy slopes were black, with corpses and littered with brol on machine-guns and nfles.-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. '""-"-a wun mokon LATER-AUSTRIANS GAIN THE MONTELLO HEIGHTS 'Reo. June 19, 9.35 p.m.) _~,.. , • j«. »r ~, ~,' Lon(io "> Juno 18, 5.30 p.m. The Austrians have gained the Montello hoights.—Renter. (Rec. June 19, 11.45 p.m.) t, l >' j l lTi t „ , London, Juno IS. Reuters correspondent at Italian Headquarters points out that unless the Austnans can establish bridgeheads whore they have orossed the Piave, and get guns over, especially on to the small section of Montello which they hold, probably tho only result of the crossing will be that they will becomb prisonors.Reutor.