ITALIAN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 29 October 1917, Page 5

ITALIAN FRONT.

ITALIANS PALL BACK A MILE. LONDON, October 27. Mr Ward Price's despatch" continues Very fierce fighting went on the Bainsizza Plateau, the enemy ' making an onslaught in greatly' superior numbers. The Italians fell back a mile, and as it is difficult to cross a swift river ever bridges, constantly under fire, they took the precaution to send their heavier material to the right bank, whence the artillery is now supporting the infantry and the lighter guns on the Bainsizza. The excellent quality of the Italian defence is shown in the fact that 700 prisoners were taken in counter-attacks and elsewhere. The Carso is subjected to a tremendous bombardment, the Germans hoping thereby to hold the Italians to the ground. Mr. Jeffries states that an Homeric struggle occurred at the Pass of Plcz zo. The Italians made a fierce individual resistance, and held the heights, heaping the mouth of the defile with AustrVin dead. The Austrians then changed their plans, and while clouds of mist hung over the morass of mud they made a surprise attack up the Valley of the Isonzo. Here the battle was intensely bitter. The object appears to be to gain access to the Delta roads beyond the Baisnizza, thereby splitting the line and opening the way to Fruile. An entire German army corps debouched into the Isonzo Valley, pouring through the pass upon Caporetto, between onte Nero and Polounik, with terrific speed, the men almost leaping along the valley. An Austrian army corps massed to attack on Plczzo Pass, but intrepid alpini on the advanced heights are still making a gallant defence.

Mr Ward Price, writing from Italian Headquarters on the Isonzo front, says: We are on the eve of one of those immensely powerful, long-plan-ned drives with which the Austro-

German seek to crush an adversary by a single stunning blow. A terrible crisis is w-hen each side stakes all upon a throw. Millions of men will be strained to the limit of exhaustion. Italy, is about, to meet. singlehandecL almost] the ; entire Austrian army, with at least...ten ..German divisions, and'new, batteries of heavy guns, ranging, all along, the front. The fighting is swaying .this way;, and that. The Italians at the 'first -onset lost some ground, but these are only the first sparring blows. The heaviest possible fighting i s going on in the Isonzo triangle, with Tolmino as the apex The enemy are using overwhelming numbers of troops in an effort to thrust us from the Julian Plain.

300,000 GERMANS JOIN AUSTRIANS GERMANS' GREAT TRANSPORT "''■' j tyX'fc. ' -FEAT. LONDON Oct 27. Mr Ward Price, telegraphing later from the Italian front, says: Three hundred thousand Germans have been added to the Austrian forces in the Isonzo Valley between Plezzo and Tolmino. This vast strength is concentrated on a front ,of twenty miles, thereby increasing the forty Austrian divisions facing the Italian second army by fifty per cent. There are also certainly reinforcements behind. Mackensen is directing the offensive. Otto Von Buelow is commanding the German contingent. The Italians are faced by one of Germany's supreme efforts with singleness of purpose and complete harmony of action. The Germans carried out the task of transporting their huge military organisation, which is no longer needed on the Russian front, to a place where it can* be used to best effect. The transport I •has been an immense feat. The Germans uprooted whole armies and carried them across Europe, taking advantage of a thick fog. The Germans suddenly thrust at the Italian out-. posts south of Monte Nero, where a I German army corps attacked an Ita!- I ian bursting through by. sheer weight of numbers and reaching the banks of the Isonzo. Favoured by a night of rain, the Germans pushed three miles up the valley, seized Caporetto town and then divided. Part attacked the Italian bastion of Monte St Arasbilla and the rest pushed on to Robec, hoping to turn the whole line of the Italian defence. Fortunately both German efforts were held up. Meanwhile other Germans made frontal attacks on the main Isonzo line, while attacks from the German bridgeheads at Santa Maria and Santa Lucia, south of Tolmino, succeeded by a surprise. The Italians were driven out of Globocak. One of the key positions to the main defence, it was essential to retake Globocak immediately and a brigade of Bersalieras. were sent forward with orders to recapture Globocak at all costs. They did so with bombs and bayonet an-" j :he line was restored !

ENEMY CLAIM 60,000 PRISONERS. LONDON, October 27. German official report.—The AustroGermans captured the mountain ridge from Stol to Monte Matajur, and arc pressing on through the Julian Alp s towards the Italian plain. Prisoners now total (30,000 and the guns 450. The Italian Isonzo front is shaking as far as Wippac but the enemy are maintaining their positions on the Carso. THE SITUATION GRAVE. LONDON, October 27. An Italian semi-official statement says: It is at present impossible to give all the details of the position on the front, where the (struggle continues bitter and undecided. The statement admits that the situation is grave, but adds that if the Italian troops fight as previously the enemy is unlikely to tread on Italian soil for long. The Germans on the Italian front are using a new torture gas. It produces terrible itching, even through masks. The inventors hope to force the Italians to remove their masks, when they will die from gas shells.