ITALY.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 May 1917, Page 5

ITALY.

THE GREAT OFFENSIVE. 100 AUSTRIAN BATTALIONS ENGAGED, SUCCESS DUE TO SURPRISE. A RECORD .AIR SERVICE. Reuter Service, Received May 27, 5.5 p.m. London, May 26. Reutcr's Agency learns officially that no less than .ten Austrian divisions, comprising one hundred battalions, were concentrated between the sea and Boscomalo, the scene of the great offensive. The success of the attack is attributed to surprise, as the Austrians expected a long artillery preparation, but the Italians advanced after only a ton hours' bombardment. The heaviest attacks were on a front of eight kilometres, the greatest advance being two kilometres The part played by the air service constitutes a record. The Italian air fleet engaged consisted of 140 units. THE CARSO DEBACLE. AN ANNIVERSARY TRIUMPH. MARVELLOUS ITALIAN WORK. AUSTRIAN'S SURRENDER EN MA'SSfe "ijondon, May 25. Mr, Peroival Gibbon, telegraphing on the 24th, states that yesterday was the anniversary of Italy's entry into .the war. The Thirds Army initiated the new year fighting by an advance over the horrible stono wastes of tta Carso. The immediate objective was a sharp Austrian salient from Caatagnivizza through the hamlet of Hudi. iLog across stony liills to the sea. The enemy lines were 'built with stone trenches quarried out of solid rock and even the barb wire was held up by iron standards cemented into the stone. For hours a red hot hailstorm of shells of every calibre remorselessly kneaded the Austrian line. The Italian infantry's charge came at four o'clock and the Austriang immediately replied with shrapnel. The barrage might Jiave been confetti for all the effect it had upon the chargers. Dust-caked men in gas masks and stael casques dashed at the enemy trenches. In the shattered village of Lukatino there vras not a single Austrian survivor alter the Italians had rushed in with bayonets. The village of Jamiano was a Bystem of vast subterranean shelters, where the garrison was packed like sardines during the bombardment. Here the Austrians surrendered en masse, 200Q, being taken In the first,rush. Before morning the commanders,were like prisoners in cages, wildly telegraphing for assistance. Nine thousand have just arrived from the Russian front. BRITISH NAVAL FORCES ASSIST. SUCCESSFUL ATTACK FROM GULF ' OF VENICE.

Renter Service. Received May 26, '5.5 p.m. ■! Rome, May 26. Semi official—With the object of assisting the offensive at the- Carso, British monitors, with other naval forces, and Italian" aeroplanes made an effective attack from the Gulf of Venice in the rear of the enemy's lines. The attack was especially great on the air station depots and other important military objects near Prosecco. A THIRD OP ENEMY ANNIHILATED. A. and N.Z. Cable Assoc., and Reuter. Received May 20, 5.5 p.m. Rome, May 25. ■A semi-official message states that the British monitors assisting in the Carso offensive made a prolonged and effective attack in the Gulf of Trieste at the rear of the Austrian lines, especially on aviation depots. The only enemy attempt at interference consisted of an aerial attack, when we downed two seaplanes. All Anglo-Italian units returned unscathed.

Other reports state that the Austrians employed 100,000 troops in the laonzo battle on Wednesday, a third of whom were annihilated. MONTE SANTO CAPTURED.' Reuter Service. London, May 25. The tactical result of the Italian victory is that they have fought their way to a tower of rocky terraces descending from the Carso Plateau to the Adriatic, thus securing a firm hold of the coast road and railway to Trieste, which is only thirteen miles from & point attained, and also made important gains near Gorizia, capturing the formidable Monte Santo. rtEAVY FIGHTING ON T&E CARSO. MORE POSITIONS CAPTURED. " 22,419 'PRISONERS TAKEN ON THE JULIAN FRONT. Received May 27, 11.45 p.m. London, May 27. An Italian official report states: Heavy fighting continues on the Carso. We carried another strongly fortified position, :y>d took 3500 prisoners; also a network of trenches from the mouth of the Timavo river to the eastward of Janiiano, and took possession of heights between Flondar and Medeazza. The enemy's defences eastward of Boscomalo have been broken, and the trenches around Castagnavazza taken. We extended our positions on the hill north of Tivoli, and drove back the enemy in the Vodice area with heavy loss. The number of the enemy prisoners on the Julian front since May 14 is 22,419, including 487 officers,