ITALIAN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 27 June 1918, Page 5

ITALIAN FRONT.

ITALIAN EMBASSY CORRECTS ITS FIGURE& CAPTURES TOTAL 4500, NOT 45,000. LONDON, June 25." The Italian Embassy corrects its own figures, anfi states that 4500 prlsoners were captured, not 45,000. The “Daily Telegraph” Milan correspondent reports that constant pressure 'by the Italians continues uniirterruptedly. The bombardment of bridges and foot-bridges renderea the situation of the enemy troops on the right bank of the Piave tragically hopeless from the outset. Some divL sions in the Montello region were seven days without supplies from the other side of the river. The Italian advance in the Montello sector was splendidly carried out. Some crossed the Piave northward of the mountain, taking the enemy in the rear. Others | smashed the line of Colle Sella Della Madonna and drove the Austrians pell mell into the river, while the right wing occupied Nervesa. The ground along the Lower Piave was literally sfrewn with dead since the third day of the AustrlaA offensive. The enemy here has realised that he was caught in a trap. Day and night shells poured into his passages, and the bridges became only charred posts. A wooden bridgd near Musile remained, but shell fire wiped out the enginers, who piade desperate efforts to repair it. The bridges at Sal Gareda and Crisolera suffered similarly. Whole convoys of supplies which were drawn up on the opposite bank became an easy mark for the Italian guns.

PIAVE RIVER IS IMPASSABLE. AUSTRIANS APPARENTLY ATTACKING-. Received' 8.45 a.m. LONDON, June 25. According to latest inforriiation to the evening of the 24th Italians tacking Montehella, and Monte ASblme. They advanced, but meeting with the strongest resistance the Italian line is back to exactly where it was before the offensive. The Austrians are apparently attacking from all trenches; the river is again rising and sweeping away some Italian bridges, hindering crossing. A certain amount of fighting is proceeding on'the extreme Italian right. THE AUSTRIAN DEFEAT. HOW BATTERIES WERE SAVED. AUSTRIANS PANICKED. AND FLURRIED. ARTILLERY HORSES THROWN OVERBOARD, AUSTRIAN GENERAL SHOOTS ...,. HIMSELF. Received 8.45 a.m. LONDON, June 26. Ward Price says the re-captured batteries were filled with explosives ready for destruction, but the speed of ihe pursuit prevented it. The Austrians decided to recross on Saturday night, and started secretly to, if pos-. sible complete the crossing by the morning. They left a formidable array of machine guns constantly firing to keep up the impression of unchanged strength. When patrols discovered it, the news of the withdrawal was flashed from Montello to the sea, and General Diaz immediately ordered an attack on the whole front. The retreaters were so flurried and panicstricken that the troops seized boats loaded with artillery horses, throwing overboard the animals, which were drowned in the swift stream. For three and a-half miles the Austrian rifles gallantly rearguarded on

the Upper Piave. In 48 hours only 80 were left, and they surrendered. The commander of the Central army, von Straat shot himself. The whole Italian army is at trie zenith of righting enthusiasm, and Is worth twice I 'what it was a week ago. NEW YORK PRESS ENTHUSIASTIC NEW YORK, June 25., New York newspapers are enthusiastic in praise of the Italian victory. The New York “Herald” says:— Germany’s hope of crushing the Italians must now be abandoned. The German internal situation is bad; the Austrian worse. The Kaiser must see the handwriting on the wall. The New York “Sun” says:—The Italian victory must be disheartening to Austria, whose military future it must affect. The .nation is already torn by dissension and is suffering the pangs of hunger. The New York “World” says: The victory is the greatest triumph the Allies have had since the Marne.

AUSTRIAN OFFICIAL REPORT. LONDON, June 25. -• At 6.30 this evening a wireless Austria uofficial report stated; There was bitter fighting on June 24th between Asiago and the Piave, the enemy attempting to recapture hill positions lost on 15th June. They were everywhere thrown back, Galician, Croatian, and Upper and Lower Austrian, Silesian and Bosnia-Herzegov-inian regiments particularly Tlistin. guished themselves. The enemy Is feeling his way towards the Piave with patrols. Our covering troops In the San Dona district warded off strong attacks. During the last few days we carried out movements according to plan without'loss of mate, rial. The Italians since June 15th have lost over 50,000 prisoners, including 1100 officers. The enemy’s total losses at the lowest estimate must be 150,000.