ITALY.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 December 1917, Page 5

ITALY.

ITALIANS YIELD GROUND. BIT EXACT * HEAVY PAYMENT. (Received Dec. 7, 8.30 p.m. Rome, Doc. <]. Italian official: The enemy, after the failure of a frontal attack, attempted to curry from the rear, with crushing numerical preponderance, the Melette strong point. We resisted stubbornly, constantly counter-attacking, and only yielding ground when reinforcements far risoned the rear line of defence. °\Vc repulsed heavily a powerful attempt in the Upper Brenta valley, THE FIGHTING AT SISEMOL TERRIFIC AUSTRIAN LOSSES. t A OOMPLETE REPULSE. United Service. Received Dec. 7, 9.40 p.m. r London, Dec. 6. The Milan Courier's correspondent states: There were terrific Austrian losses at Sisemol on December 5, the mountain 'being covered with -corpses. J-lie Austrians advanced"* in masses, largely using one-man machine-guns and grenades. The Italian infantry drove the enemy back, the artillery completing the repulse. FORMIDABLE ENEMY ATTACKS. j ITALIANS LEAVE FIRST LINES. " I , * London, Dec. 6. An Italian official message states: The enemy, with a formidable away of artillery and increased forces, attacked yesterday on the Asiago plateau. We firmly held up the first assault. The enemy gained some positions, but did not weaken our resistance. The enemy carried out a double attack on Monte Melette. We decisively repulsed the first of these assaults on the southern slopes nf Monte Melette, but the second attack, between fiallio and Tondaricar, lasting all night, resulted in the occupation of some trenches, causing our withdrawal from the advanced lines. We destroyed five bridges at Zenson, and inflicted losses on the enemy at the river bend. SPLENDID ITALIAN DEFENCE. ITALIANS FORCED BACK SLIGHTLY. London, Dec. 6, A semi-official report from Rome emphasises the splendid Italian resistance in the mountain fighting. On Tuesday and Wednesday the Austrians lost 50 per cent, of their effectives. I'.ai'lier the Austrian guns . were brought up and opened fire with heavy shells, accompanied 'by a hail of lachrymatory and emetic gas shells. Then the mortars opened gaps in the barbed wire and masses of Austrian infantry advanced. On the Melette line most of the attackers fell back in disorder under the Italian fire, but the Austrians made a desperate effort at Monte Tendecar and forced a small. Italian retirement. The battle was continued fiercely at night, the enemy making numberless attacks) without regard to life. Two German brigades wero supporting the Austrians, and altogether the Italians counted five divisions in ten kilometres of the most difficult mountainous country.