CONQUEST OF THE PIAVE LINE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 249, 9 July 1918, Page 5

CONQUEST OF THE PIAVE LINE

ITALIANS COMPLETELY SUCCESSFUL i OVER 24,000 PRISONERS TAKEN By Megroph-Press Afißooiation-Oopyrisht. ' London, July 7. An Italian official report states: ."On. the-Lower Piavo' our pressure continues firmly. Wo again broke the stubborn enomy defence yesterday, and gained more ground, reaching the right bank of the Piave from Grisolera to the mouth of the river. A violent offensive in return was attempted by tho enemy to ■ the northward in the'direction of Chicza Nuova, but was arrested. Kenewed attacks on our positions at Porte di Salton, north-east of Mount Grappa, failed. A-later report states: "After five days of bitter and uninterrupted struggle, the enemy on Saturday afternoon was completely driven to tho left bank or the Piave. Wo have recaptured all the coastal zone which the enemy had occupied since November. Since June 15 we have cap tared 523 officers and 23,011 men, 63 guns,, and -123-1 machine-fhms, and much other material. Wo have also recovered all the artillery and material lost in the first phase of the Piave struggle. -Aus.-N./S. Cable Assn.-leuter. . '(Eec. July 8, 10.10 p.m.) , London, July 7. An Italian official report stotes: "Wo are consolidating ourselves en- the „«und we recaptured on the right bank of the New Piave.-There is every; inSation that tho enemy's losses are much higher than were foreseen. The liench S a brilliant raid at Zoccbi. on theAsiago Plateau. Three enemy attacks (mCornone, betareen the Frenzel-i Valley and the Brenta, .were sanguinarily re-pulsed.''-Aus.-N.Z.. Cable Assn.-Eeuter. GRAPHIC PICTURE OF THE FINAL SCENE / (Eec. July 8, 11.55 p.m.) "' • London, July 7. The- "Dailv Chronicle's" correspondent at tho Italian front states: "The whole of the Venetian Plain to'thoPiavo is clear of thei enemy. There is not a ■buds Austrian on the west bank of the river, except 24,000 prisoners. The 'eucmy badholdTihce November last a triangular sector from the mouth d tho Piave to Cornellazzo, with the .pex at Sandona. The soil being sodden they were unable to dig trenches or operate. Large masses of men had to be split up ■ kte ™erable*small groups, converting every facto, farmhouse, and cottage Mo a fortress, and Lxing machine-guns in every epitab to tree fork sowing them along the bants of the countless canals. The Italians have taken three hundred SneVns, but hundreds of others were burled under demolished buildings Hunk in tne swamps. The Italian artillery cut off supplies to these groups Westroyin? the largest bridge over the river, and keeping .three others under KSntfire The defenders, who consisted of Bosnians and fought stubbornly. Four columns of Italian tersoglien and .infantry earned ™,f th toilsome task «f-breaking the enemy's defences in guerrilla warfare, fighttag *nHnuanT-uptVthefc waists in-water. Sometimes the combatants los.ng hL ™Me floundering in tho swamps, engaged in ham-to-liand struggleg, tearing each other witli their teeth."-Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. AUSTRIAN OFFICIAL REPORT. . London, July 6. An Austrian official report states: "Yesterday fighting continued at the mouth of the Piave. On the southern wing of ouir positions the enomy succeeded in pressing us back towards the main body." -Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Eeuter. (Eec. July 8, 10.10 p.m.) i London, July 7. A wireless Austrian official report states: "As .the delta of tho Piavo would ' Wbeen untenable without a heavy sacrifice, wo withdraw to a dyko position on the extern bank of tho. main branch. The operation ,wm coined.out on he nieht ofJuly 5. The enemy felt bis way at midday on' July 6 as far as the T iver.»-Auß.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Router. t