ITALIAN CAMPAIGN.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 June 1918, Page 2

ITALIAN CAMPAIGN.

[rEU PRESS ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT.] PREMIER OPTIMISTIC. I AUSTRALIAN OC N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION] ROME, June 16. Signor Orlando, the Italian Premier is optimistic regarding the battle. The Italians are everywhere holding the Austrians and frequently counter attacking and taking thousands of prisoners. .»

REUTER’S ACCOUNT.

Reuter’s leldgrams

LONDON, June 16 ' Reuter’s correspondent at British headqarters in Italy pays the attack on Saturday of the British position, on Assego Plateau was made by a division ot Austro-Gernians and some Bosnian troops. The enemy’s objective was apparently to reach ft line of hills about the plateau and Cimdae point, four kilometres behind the front. They reached thcofront line but have made little progress since. The attack on the right was completely repulsed, but they succeeded at first in gaining a few. hundred yards near the lett centre. The country is full of hidden folds, and lends itself to attack, by small isolated detachments. The. preliminary bombardment was of the heaviest, but the enemy sparingly used gas shells. FOR THE THIRD TIME. /MILAN June 16. The “Corriere Dglla Sera’s” correspondent at headquarters states that the offensive is the greatest and most ambitious Austria-Hungary has attempted in any theatre of the war. There is an enormous array of artillery and a thousand guns concentrated against one Italian army in the Trentino, fifteen hundred in the Asiago sector from Astico to Orienta. The enemy chief aim is to overwhelm the defences in the narrow Frenzela Valley, securing a break through the Brenta Valley, enabling him to debouch in Vfastagna.

This is practically a resumption of the offensive which was foiled in May 1916, and again last winter. Geueral Conrad, who twice failed is directing the third attempt in this sector, with greater strength of men and material. MARCEL 11UTIN’S VIEW. (United Service Telegrams). PARIS, June 16. Marcel Hutin says the Austrian offensive is an important military event sychronising with the difficulties of moment in Austria’s international international situation. German opinion was recently at white heat against Austria which was most bitterly stigmatised and charged with inactivity, when Hindenburg was seeking a decision. Count Burian seems to have been soundly rated and he rushed to attack the Italians. The losses in artillery have been made up and the army generally is in good condition. Marshal Conrad commands the northern mountain group and General Bowleyitch the southern plain group of attackers.

GREAT BATTLE IN PROGRESS. ** ENEMY PRESSURE HELD. LONDON, June 16. Issued at 10 p.m. an Italian communique states that a great battle has been in progress since Saturday. The .artillery preparation wa!s exceptionally intense. The enemy’s masses of infantry began tho expected offensive against our eastern sector on the Asiago Plateau, and Brenta Valley, and Mount Grappa. They also attempted to force a passage across the Piave and carried out heavy local actions on the remainder of the front.

Our own rallied barrage anticipated the enemy's preparations with a deaalv counter bombardment-.

" The enemy attacked most intensely on a 150 kilometres front.

In the initial rush they occupied a few front lino positions in the Monte Divalbella and Selene areas, also at of tho Mount Selaratic salient. Some of the enemy crossed the Avre and Nervesa, and in the Fagarcmusilc areas. We energetically counter attacked along the front and succeeded in holding back the powerful pressure and regained a good portion of the positions which wo temporarily yielded, although isolated detachments, with great valour continued to retain some at all cost. Tho violence of the struggle did not diminish during the night. We are firmly holding the front on the Asiago Plateau. . ■We completely re-occupied our original positions at Aselene-Selar-eito S al ‘* ent, pressing most closely the enemy who crossed the piave . We took 3000 prisoners, including 89

officers. Our own and Allied airmen are taking a strong part in the battle, bombarding the crossings of the Piave, and machine gunning the enemies’ masses. ° We downed 39 aeroplanes.

THE AUSTRIAN ARMIES. PARIS'Juno 16. Tho Austrian armies are divided int two groups. A mountain group under Marshal Conrad, comprising Generals Kobatin’s, von Schendtenstul’s and Krauss’s armies, and a group in the plains under General Bewevitch, comprising Generals Kiusehbatil’s, Juron’a and Henrique’s armies.

WARNER ALLEN REPORTS. HOLDING LINE FIRMLY. LONDON, June 16. Warner Allen writing from the Italian front states that the Austrian- offensive hod a less propitious beginning than any in the history of the ,war. (Two divisions attacked the -British. One had a heavy loss, and finally under the pretence of gaining ground, dug trenches in No Man’s land. They could have done this without attack, as we were quite willing to have Them fully exposed to our guns. The other division was rushed uo in lorries. and attacked on a narrow front. The attackers came on in many waves. All were repulsed and retired in confusion, wherein the artillery did enormous execution. T. British were thus able to send a message to their Italian comrades that the lei» wing was attacked, but the front was holding like a rock.

AUSTRIAN REPORT. LONDON, June 16. A wireless Austrian official message states: —W© broke the enemy’s lines on the plateau. Several companies also crossed the Piave. Prisoners hitlu taken number 10,000 Italians and Anglo French and considerable guns.

offensive no surprise. ROME, June 16

The Austrian offensive was no surprise to the Italian Command, who knew that the enemies’ bombardment was timed to begin at three in the morning of t> loth, and where it would be mosit intense, therefore he ordered the Italian batteries to open concentrated fire at midnight, in the zone of the sevn communes on the Asiago . Plateau and Bren-

ta. Between Asiago and Monte Grappa our batteries violently bombarded the enemy’s front line and 1 gun- emplacements, and his immediate rear, while, the Austrians were making final arrangements for the attack. The bombardment lasted 2o minutes and resumed 35 minutes before the opening of the Austrian bombardment. OFFICIAL NEWS. WELLINGTON, This Day. The High Commissioner reports trom London 16tli: British official reports—ln Italy there was a heavy Austrian attack after the bombardment yesterday. Our line, is reestablished. Heavy fighting continues.

.. DRIVEN back. (Received, This Dav #t IM. a.m.) LONDON, Juno I<. Premier Orlando states the Austrians who crossed the Piave were driven back with heavy losses.

AUSTRIAN REPORT. ■'*““■ vfj£s? , ,Receive Wireless Austrian official.—We captured an enemy position on the Piave, and are astride of the Odernotrcvisi railway on a broad front. We gamed positions of defensive works on the eastern edge of Montello and penetrated to the high road. , , , „ Prince Schonburg was wounded by a prisonered, on the Piave, 10,000, and captured 50 guns. In our first assault astride of the Brenta, we penetrated th^third^enemy positions, pnsonermg , enem v Lllv maintained our gains. Th® enemy Rainiero mountains, eastS of Brenta, and forced us to evacuportion of the captured territory m communes. We captured Jlossoalto near Diva, and stormed Dornodi and' Cavento, in the Adamello region. AN AUSTRIAN CLAIM. ( fAUSTRALIAN * nXIABLE ASSOCIATION] (Received This Dav at 10.15. a ml LONDON, June, 17th. „ The Austrians claim that fifteen thousand prisoners have been captured at Coniporile.