ITALIAN CAMPAIGN.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 June 1918, Page 2

ITALIAN CAMPAIGN.

(pF.n I,’RRSS ASSOCIATION. —COPYRIGHT.] S UCC’ESS CONTINUES. LONDON, June 25. The “Exchange Telegraph’s’’ Rome correspondent says M. Orlando informed the Senators and Deputies that the success continues. The Austrians ars suffering enormous losses. PRACTICALLY SURROUNDED LONDON June 25. The “Ciiornole ’d Italia” says the troops of the Archduke Joseph and General Wurn are practically surrounded and must surrender or ho annihilated. I. POSITION OBSCURIi. LONDON. June 25. The latest detailed despatches from the Italian front give the position at six o’clock on Monday evening when still obscure fighting was still proceeding on the mountain on the left ol Montcllo. and the Italians were approaching Montello. At Monte Asoloni the Austrians wero putting up, a stubborn resistance, lnit six thousand prisoners had already been taken. Tim Austrians on the Pinvc sector were already in the old lines. .The Italian sweeping up operations must he hampered by the flood in the Piavo, the bridges being washed away. It is not expected that General Diaz will, risk big operations eastward of the bridges.

AN AUSTRIAN MESSAGE

ITALIAN LOSSES, 150,000,

LONDON. June 25th

A wireless Austrian official message states that there there was hitter fighting on the 24th June, between Asiago, and the Piave, the enemy attempting to recapture tile hill positions lost on the 15th June. The Italians everywhere wero thrown hack. The Galacian, Croation, upper and lower Austrian Silesia, Bosnia, Hertzegoviua Regiments particularly distinguished themselves. The enemy is now feeling his "’ay towards the Piave, will) patrols. Our covering troops in the San Dona district, warded off strong attacks during the last few days. We carried out our movements according to plan, without the less of material. The Italians since the 15th June lost over 50.000 prisoners, including 1,100 officers. The enemy’s total losses, at lowest estimate must he 150,000.

AMERICAN PRESS ENTHUSIASTIC NEW YORK, June 25. ' The New York' papers are enthusiastic in praise of the Italian victory. Tho New York “Herald” says that, Germany’s hopes of crushing the. Italians must now he abandoned. Ihe German internal situation is bad, but the A.usIrinn is worse. The Kaiser must see the handwriting on the wall. The New York “Sun” says that the Italian victory is most disheartening to Austria, whose military future will affect the nation, which is already torn by dissension and tho pang of hunger. Tho New York “World” eavs that the victory is the greatest triumph. ITALIAN REPORT LONDON. June 25th.

Italian Official:—The Third Army on Monday, having compelled the light enemy rearguard to surrender, we have occupied completely the right bank or the Pinve, taking prisoner eight officers njid 1,607 men. Along the northern front at .Grappa, after artillery fire we gained considerable ground and inflicted heavy losses, taking 133 prisoners and sixteen machine guns. AUSTRIAN LOSSES.

(Received Yesterday at 11.10. p.m.) LONDON, Juno 25. Correspondents on the Italian front inI! sist on the shocking Austrian losses. I Twelve divisons which maintained a foot hold west of the I’iavc wore pounded by the whole Italian artillery. Many Austrian units left two-thirds of their effectives on the battlefield. Austrian 1 | supplies of ammunition and food were very irregular and deficient. | It is a strange fact that though l the Austrian artillery was heavily massed on the banks of the Piavo, at the outset of the attack, the light and medium guns had gone when the retreat- commenced. Apparently the. Austrian commanders had designed to make an offensive elsewhere, when they were so prised by the utter failure of their plans | ITALIAN REPORT. i (Received this day at 12.30 a.m.) , WASHINGTON, June 25. , Italian Embassy despatches state the ' Austrians arc in full retreat. A paper found on a prisoner, shows the Austrians expected to force Italy out- of the war and make a separate peace. The ' Austrians fought bravely because they were promised food and booty.

j A SHIP FIRED. i (Received this dnv nt, 12.30 a.mA | WASHINGTON, June 25. i Italian hydroplanes set. dfi fire an Austrian ship that was steaming on the eastern Adriatic coast.

CON G R ATUL A TION S. (Received This Day, at 12.10. n.m.) LONDON, June 25. 'lho Press Bureau states the King congratulated the King of Italy on the victorious operations. The gallantry am fortitude of the Italians had elicited the admiration of himself and the British pcoplo. ITALIANS STILL ADVANCING (Reuter’s Teloqram.) Received, this day at 8.45 a.m. LONDON, Juno 25. Latest information to the evening of the 21th states the Italians were- attacking at Monte Volbella and Monte Asolone. lliev arc advancing, but are meeting with strong resistance. The Italian line is back exactly where it was before the offensive. The Ansi rians are apparently attacking from old trenches. The river is again rising and sweeping away some of the Italian bridges, hindering their crossing. A certain amount of fighting is proceeding on the extreme Italian right.

STORY OF RETREAT. [LONDON TIMES SERVICE—COrvRIGHTI Received, this day at 8:45 a.m. LONDON, June 25. Mr Ward Price says that the recap‘luvd batteries were filled with explosives ready for their destruction, hut the speed of the pursuit had prevented it. The Austrians to recross an Saturday night, and started as secretly as possible at two in the morning, leaving a formidable array of machine, guns constantly firing, *to keep up the impression of unchanged Length. M hen the patrols discovered it, the news of the withdrawal was Hashed from Montcllo to the sea. General Diaz immediately ordered an attack on the whole front. The retreat was so flurried that panic stricken troops seized the boats, loaded with artillery and horses, throwing overboard the animals, which wero drowned in the swift stream. The 31st and 22nd Austrian Rifles, gallantry rear-guarded the Upper Piave for -18 hours. Eight, who were, left, surrendered. The Commander, General Vonoonstradt, shot himself. The whole Italian army is at the zenith of its fighting enthusiasm, and it is worth twice what it was a week ago.