AN ITALIAN VICTORY

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 4 November 1916, Page 5

AN ITALIAN VICTORY

* AUSTRIAN ARMY DEMORALISED L;‘ ' FIFTEEN THOUSAND CASUALTIES ONE DAY * GDEEKS MEET CREEKS ROYALISTS ATTACK THE VENBZELISTS THEY ARE GCMPLETELY ROUTED , ALL VERDUN FORTS RE-CAPTURED FURTHER ADVANCES ON THE SOMME

A NORTH SEA INCIDENT. . *

GERMANS ROBBED OF THEIR PREY. ■ AMSTERDAM, Nov 2. German torpedoers in the North captured tie Batavier liner Olaambt, put a prize crew aboard, and sent her to Zeebrugge. A British destroyer learnt of the capture, overtook the Oldahbt, and prisonered the prize crew. The Germans put bombs in the engine room, but it is net known whether the Oldambt was sunk.

GREAT ITALIAN VICTORY.

AUSTRIANS HEAVILY PRESSED. BATTLE STILL RAGING. Received 8.50 ROME, Nov 3. The Italian bombardment on the Carso on Tuesday was intense. The cannonade on the following morning was still more violent,- and came to a climax at eleven o ’clock,, when the artillery suddenly lifted, and the infantry began to attack along the whole line, gaining 500 yards in the Pecinka sector on the first rush Pecinka and the neighbouring hills had previously proved stubborn obstacles,, but the attack this time could not be gainsaid Mist veiled the attackers, but gradual retreat of the ‘Austrians' shrapnel puffs indicated the progress, and soon the Italians passed the summit, Pecinka, Yelikihribach and Lokvica. After midday the enemy pounded the roads leading towards the crests beyond which the fight still raged.' The , battle was nearer the sea and much more intense at one o’clock. The battlefield was previously shrouded in mist, but the mist was now lifting, and large groups of Italians were visible crossing the .captured crests. In the wake of the attacking line were two long, columns of prisoners, descending tile slope to Valletta. The Austrians began, heavy bombardment of the captured crests* and there were Italian counters. The batteries intensified their fire, but the victorious Italians now solidly occupied their new positions, while the foremost lines steadily pressed forward. ITALIANS’ IMPORTANT SUCCESS. 5000 PRISONERS CAPTURED. ONE GERMAN - REGIMENT WIPED OUT. ROME, Nov 2. Semi-official. —The Austrian positions east of Gorizia are on the summit and slopes of intercepted ravines and covered woods, while the defences on the Carso, besides ruined villages include numerous boundary walls. The principal line of resistance on the Car so wls carried by the Italians, who as vanced two kilometres through thickly wooded ground up the slope. Besides taking 5000 prisoners we inflicted heavy losses. As an instance, the 25th Landwehr regiment was wipec out. Its staff, three battalion com\ menders, and 1500 men were captured. TRIESTE ABANDONED BY CIVILIAN'S’. . ROME, Nov 2. Austrian messages report that three days of Italian bombardment of unheard -of violence, east of Gorizia to the sea, destroyed the Austrian defences. The Austrians brought all their reserves, withdrawing all the forces available from the Trentino and all the garrisons from neighbouring towns. The population of Trieste is reduced to a few officers and military *, I workers. • ITALIAN AIRSHIP'S SUCCESS. || ' ROME, Nov 3. Official. —An Italian airship dropped bombs oh enemy works and vessels In San Pietro roadstead, Sebenlco Bay. The airship returned safely, decannonade from shore batteries.

ROUMANIA.

THE POSITION UNCAHNGED. BUCHAREST, Nov'3. A comunique says: The situation is unchanged between the Moldavian frontier and Predoal. All day fighting in the Psrasova resulted in the repulse of the enemy by counter-attacks. An enemy attack in the Bragoslavele region, south of Loerzburg Pass wss repulsed. Pursuit of the enemy continues west of the Vulcan Pass. Numerous artillery limbers and much material were captured. CONSTANZA BOMBARDED. FROM THE SEA. LONDON Nov 3. A Berlin communique mentions that Constanza is being bombarded from the sea.

THE IMPORTANCE OF ROUMANIA. ja.ci !- ■

DR DILLON’S OPINION. NO SACRIFICES TOO GREAT TO FRUSTRATE HINDENBURG. ; LONDON Nov 2 I Dr Dillon, writing from Rome; says: ! Circumstances have made Eoumania the j pivot of the European campaign. It would be dangerous to argue that the loss -of territory is advantageous to the Allies so long as the Roumanian army is intact. He considers the magnificent stand on the Predeal front encourages the hope of further great achievements. Unless Falkenhayn reaches Playn before the winter fully sets in, the enterprise must fail. The invasion I of Roumania has an enormous attrac- j tion for the Kaiser, for it would mean a German victory .over all the Allies. 1 Hindenburg is likely to continue his efforts regardless of cost. No sacrifices the Allies could make would be too costly to frustrate Hindenburg. ~

ADVANCE FROM SALONIKA. I

COMMENCED LAST THURSDAY, l THE ROAD TO BULGARIA. | ■ I DOMINATED BY THE BRITISH. i SOME EASY VICTIMS. j I Received 9.10 a.m. | LONDON, Nov 3. | Mr. Ward Price reports from Salon- • ika that operations on the Struma began at daylight on Thursday, the British attacking half a dozen places, each carrie'd out independently, and were an immediate and full success. It result- j ed in ~the capture of Baracli-Jumal, j which is now thoroughly secured. I Since capturing Bala Zir and Yrki on j September 30, when 5000 were put out | of action, the enemy -has gradually re- | signed the mastery of the Struma Val : ley. B’aracli-Jumal commands one of t the principal roads towards Bulgaria. 1 The enemy resisted only half-hearted , ly and fled from their houses and villages. We had the fewest casualties. It is significant that the Bulgarians i have not made any real counter-at-tack. GATHERING IN RECRUITS. COMBING GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS. Received 10.55 LONDON Nov 3. Mr Lloyd George has combed out the civilians under the age of 20 in the War Office subsidiary departments who are: fit for general service, leaving 171 fit men out of a staff of 7200, inclusive of women. There will bo similar comb-ing-out amongst non-commissioned military 'employees, as many as possible under commissioners will be released

A GERMAN JOKE.

FOOLING THE FRENCHMEN. Received 11.50 LONDON Nov 3. A German wireless that their withdrawal from Fort Van was not observed by the French, who bombarded the empty fort for many hours, and strongly assaulted, then found it to be deserted. Owing to s the French gains near Fort Douaumont Fort Vaux was valueless. Germany therefore retired to a. more favourable lino. IN FLANDERS BIG GUNS AND AIRCRAFT ACTIVE LONDON, Nov 2 Sir Douglas Haig reports: The enemy shelled our front in the LebuterneArras region. Our artillery carried on actively south of 'Ameutieres and north of Ypres. Our aircraft bombed a number of batteries. THE FIGHTING AT LES BOEUFS. BAVARIANS BEATEN BACK. SUCCESSFUL BRITISH ADBANCE. LONDON, Nov. 2. Mr Gibbon says that since October 23 the fighting eastward of Les Booufg ebbed and flowed against the stubborn Bavarians, until only the crest of the trench held out. For a week the artillery pounded the trench out of existence. On October 30 the Britons, after fierce bayonet fighting, again rushed the slopes and won every objective. Our line is now parallel with the great German system before Le Transloy. The Germans lost heavily is shown by the ermans lost heavily is shown by the number of corpses lying in the rain. The Bavarians were so dazed by the violent fighting that they declare that they destroyed two tanks, whereas no tanks were engaged. The rain continues, and the mud and broadening ponds of water are everywhere, necessitating constant eiforts to keep the position in repair. ’ A Gorman communique says: The French gained a minor advantage at Les Boenfs, but the Anglo-French attacks 'elsewhere on the Somme were repulsed.

THE ATTACK ON SAILLY-SAILLI* SEL. ENEMY ATTACKS SMASHED WITH HEAVY LOSSES. LONDON Nov 3. The Daily Chronicle's Paris correspondent says: Seven battalions of Wurtemburgers and Silesians participated in the attack on Sailly-Saillisel. The French lines were dosed plentifully with flaming liquid, poison and the infantry advaned bravely. Six assaults were smashed up, with heavy losses, and a successful advance later brought the British' within two hundred yards of Transloy. The French are near the south of this important point. EVACUATION OF FORT VAUX. ADMITTED BY THE GERMANS. LONDON Nov 3. A German communique says: Linder a violent French bombardment we evacuated Fort Yaux, after blowing up important positions NEW OPERATION SUCCESSFULLY CARRIED OUT. APPRECIABLE AMOUNT OF GROUND GAINED. PARIS, Nov. 3. Official. —North of the Somme we carried out a new operation between Les Boeufs and Sailly-Saillisel, whereby an appreciable amount of ground was gained. The total prisoners in this sector since yesterday is 736.

FIGHTING ON THE STOKHOD AN ENEMY SUCCESS. PETROGRAD, Nov 3. A communique says: The enemy carried a salient on the west bank of the Stokhod in the region of Vitonege and further southward. We drove the Turks from an organised position on the heights in the region of Sakki. GERMAN GOVERNMENT SURRENDER. TO POPULAR PUBLIC OPINION. REIGN OF TERROR ENQUIRY. Received 8.52. LONDON, Nov 3. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Rotterdam correspondent states that the Reichstag unanimously appointed a committee under the chairmanship of Scheidemann, to enquire into the reign of terror revelations. This amounts to a Government surrender to public opinion. Prussian rulers found the German public not quite so docile as they supposed.

A GREEK CONFLICT.

BETWEEN NATIONALISTS AND ROYALISTS. THE ROYALISTS DRIVEN OUT. Received 11.50. ATHENS, Nov 3. Six hundred Greek Nationalists came in conflict with a detachment of Royalist evzones at the village of Lltochari, this side of the Cerna river. The evzones were forced to retreat to Ekaterini, which later was evacuates, the Nationalists occupying tne town, and capturing all military stores. The Government despatched reinforcements from Larissa. CONSTANTINE'S DUPLICITY. STOPPING VENEZELISTS’ MOVEMENTS. AN INTOLERABLE SITUATION. Received 8.50. LONDON, Nov 3.

The “Daily Mail’s Athens correspondent states that an extraordinary situation is created owing to officers at Larissa sending reinforcements to oppose Venezelists’ advance from Ekateriui. It is considered intolerable, and has filled Venezelists with astonishment. RUSSIAN SUCCESS CONTINUES. PETROGRAD, Nov. 3. A Russian communique says: We still pursue the enemy in the Jiul valley. There is nothing important to report from Dobrudja. CLAIM 1500 PRISONERS. LONDON, Nov 3. We stormed Russian positions on the left bank of the Stokhod and prtsonered 1500 ,

A GERMAN REPORT.

BAILING UP MERCHANTMEN. : ■ l ! ; ! ■ * Received 11.30 AMSTERDAM, Nov 4 A German official states that on >the night of November 1 German light sea forces from Flanders stopped and examined several steamers on the LondonHolland route. They took two suspicious vessels into harbour. A third, which was ordered to follow, has not yet arrived. British cruisers unsuccessfully shelled some of . our torpedo boats. ANGLO-GERMAN EXCHANGE. OF CIVILIAN PRISONERS.

Received 1.1.30 LONDON, Nov 3. A white book makes reference to the exchange of German civilians over 45, and shows that the agreement applies to the whole Empire. Germany has stipulated that Germans from the British colonies and dominions be ; repatriated with the utmost speed possible. Retired officers and crews of Anglo-Ger-man merchantmen to be considered civilians. A WEST FRONT SURPRISE. BRITISH CAPTURE TRENCHES., Received 11,30 LONDON, Nov 3. General Haig reports: We surprised and captured a trench east of Guedecourt, and successfully raided trenches at Etemas. A FRENCH REPORT. ALL VERDUN FORT RECAPTURED. Received 11.30 PARIS, Nov. 3. A communique states that owing to the violence of our bombardment for several days the enemy is not awaiting the attack of infantry, whose pressure is ever growing closer. Tester afternoon they evacuated Fort Vaux, wherein the heaviest explosions were observed. Wc occupied it at night without loss. Our belt of exterior forts of Verdun is now entirely re-established and firmly held

NEW ITALIAN OFFENSIVE

THE AUSTRIANS DEMORALISED. 15,000 CASUALTIES FIRST DAY. Received 11.30 ROME, Nov 3. The first day of the now offensive on the Carso cost the enemy a loss of 15, 000 men, one-third being prisoners. The twenty-first regiment and other units were annihilated. The weather is fine and the battle fiercely continues. Enemy counter-attacks are feeble and disordered. The troops are demoralised.