ITALIAN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 19 November 1917, Page 5

ITALIAN FRONT.

THE ITALIAN BATTLE. LONDON, November 16, A wireless German official report states; “We captured several hill positions north-eastward of Gallic, on 1 both sides of the Brenta Valley. We also captured Cismon. There is intense artillerying on the Lower Piave. Hungarians took 1,000 prisoners on the west bank near the sea. ” LONDON, Nov 17. Mr Jeffries writes from the Italian headquarters: The enemy are desperately attacking and the Italians are doggedly resisting where they fought their great defensive battles in 1916. They are amid the last rest-ing-places of their comrades, and are determined not to yield these tombs or allow the enemy to force an entrance to the plains. The enemy are using fresh reserves, giving no respite to the Italians and almost anni hilating massed attacks. Venice is being steadily emptied of her population Twenty thousand re main. All removable works have gone. The Ducal palaces have been stripped. Most of the shops are closed. The remaining inhabitants are cheerful and confident.

British monitors are participating in the defence of the Piave, bombarding the enemy at the river mouth. Mr Ward Price reports: Each day Anglo-French reinforcements reach Italy in greater numbers. Some French, in order to relieve the congestion on the railways, marched across the Alps through passes already covered with snow, repeating Napoleon’s achievements. Those who have already arrived are taking their appointed places in the Italian scheme of defence. The Frenchmen are delighted with the change of scene and the Britishers are in high spirits in the new adventure, singing the latest songs One might think they were coming to gather the fruits of ready-made victory, not to make a desperateeffort to help retrieve defeat , The : Italians at the. Britishers’ demonstrativecheerfulness. Towns are receiving them well.. The Scotsmen’s kilts are having the inevitable success.

Italian official: —We maintain our front from the Asiago Plateau to the Piave despite intense- fire and--violent attack*. \ Wireless German official. We captured several hill positions north-east-ward of Gallic on both sides of the Brenta valley. We captured Gisnion.

There is intense artillery fire on the lower Piave ~ The Hungarians took 1000 prisoners on the west bank near the sqa. "JL f. An Italian Headquarters correspondent reports that a "bat'tie.',is raging in brilliant weather bn a seventy-five miles, front from the mountains to the sea. The Austro-Gernians are. pounding the Sctto Communi Plateau. There are vibleut attacks, similar' but ■ ■'at shorter intervals, with ever--growing forces, The Italians, on Monte Grappa, : 6000 feet in'height, are withstanding enemy waves, -preventing descent on Asiago, Trevisa and Vicenza. The struggle is fiercest along the Piave, where hhe Italians by great sacrifices, have almost reconquered the Zendon bend.

Italian official. —The enemy, not considering their losses, renewed, attacks from the Asiago Plateau to the sea, between 'Setto Tuol and San Andreadi Babarano. The enemjp forced a passage under the protection of most violent artillery fire, and crossed to the right bank at Polina and Fagire. Our artillery destroyed the enemy at Polina. We took 300 survivors prisoners. We heavily attacked the greater number which crossed at Pagre taking 600 prisoners Our artillery shelled the hindering a return to the other bank. The enemy at the Zendon loop are being closed in a restricted zone.

Wireless German official. —Despite a stubborn defence, the Austro-Germans climbed Monte Prasolan, between the Brenta and the Piave, and took 800 prisoners.

An Italian semi-official report speaks of the fine discipline and perfect order characterising the retirement of the naval garrisons on the right wing. They saved precious war material, which now confronts the enemy in new positions. They repulsed attempts at the crossing below Revedoli. Italian naval forces constantly protected this flank, repeatedly bombarding enemy rafts attempting to cross the Piave. Mr. Perceval Gibbon writes; South of Donadi, on the Piave, where the enemy crossed, the Italians broke the irrigation canals and flooded the country to a depth of three feet. The enemy secured boats and are now engaged with the naval forces on the northern edge of the Venetian lagoon. The enemy has a terrible num-erical-superiority of aircraft. AMSTERDAM, November 17 Austrian messages state that detachments of the Austrian fleet fired on the Italian troops and batteries in the Piave Estuary.