ITALY'S ACHIEVEMENT.

Taihape Daily Times, 20 July 1918, Page 3

ITALY'S ACHIEVEMENT.

FINE WORK PN E&S&Ej Mr. Ward Price, official goraespoXk dent on the Italian front, telegraphs:. Before their ejection from the dykes and canals within the twin courses of i the Piave, the Austrians fought dog'gedly for three days. They held strong machine gun positions over 30 square miles, in a labyrinth of marshland, more formidable because it could (be approached only in straight linos along the dyke roads. The battle at last became a series of isolated rushes in which the Italian Marines ana Bexsaglieri showed the greatest gallantry. The stoutest troops among the enemy were 'Austrian Bosnians, hairsavage shepherds and peasants. The Italians quickly followed up their first (successes, and penned the enemy against the bridgehead on the right bank of the new Piave. The barrage cut off supplies from the rear, and forced the enemy to retire to the left bank. Numerous incidents of personal courage and initiative marked the progress of the battle, and showed the access of Italian confidence and sense of .ascendancy, since the defeat of the Austrian offensive . Bersaglieri boldly rushed and captured an entire enemy Ibattery of fourinch guns. Although surrounded by almost impassable wire, supplemented by machine guns, "the attackers smashed through .and found the battery red-hot, and the gunners running to the cover of the woods in the rear. The Austrians have been pushed four miles further from Venice, and have lost the whole of the Piave Del. ta, winch they have held since November. . ~,.