ITALY.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 July 1918, Page 5

ITALY.

FURTHER ITALIAN SUCCESSES AWAITING NEXT MOVE. ~ ■■ ' London, July 2. Mr. Ward Price states that the Italians are steadily plucking back isolated fragments of the mountain line which remained in Austrian hands. The ferocity of the Monte Val Bella fight showed that the enemy was aware of the value of the positions they were relinquishing. They threw in heavy masses of their best regiments in their effort to retain them. The men taken prisoner belonged to four divisions. The gaps made in the Italian ranks since the Piave counter-attacks have now been re-filled. There is a general feeling that only one act of the new drama lias been played. The course next to be undertaken depends partly on the enemy's plans in France. Continued delay in the offensive there may mean that Germans are coming to Italy. —Times.

LAST OF AUSTRIAN GAINS. RECAPTURED BY ITALIANS. London, July 2. An Italian semi-official message says: The recapture of Val Bella, Col del Rosso, and Col del Chele has wrested from the Austrians the last of their gains on the Asiago Plateau. The first day's Italian offensive completely restored the situation prior to the attack. These positions were constantly contested throughout the war, because they; constitute an advanced flank for Italy and jumping off grounds for the Austrians wishing to scale the Italian positions. The victory was due to the perfect cooperation of artillery and infantry, reducing the Italian losses to a minimum, whereas four enemy divisions were engaged and suffered exceptionally heavy N.Z. Cable Assoc. ENEMY ATTACKS CRUSHED. IMPORTANT POSITIONS GAINED. LARGE CAPTURES OF MUNITIONS. Received July 3, 8.5 p.m. London, July 2. Artillery fire crushed new enemy attacks on Asiago plateau, inflicting heavy losses. Our operations in the northwestern region of Grappa yielded important positions, 569 prisoners, and many guns, We captured on Monte Val Bella, Col del Rosso, and Col del Chele four guns, fifteen trench mortars, fifty-seven machine-guns, and thousands of rifles.— Aus. N.Z, Cable Assoc, and Reuter. GERMAN GENERAL FOR AUSTRIANS. Received July 4. 12.55 a.m. London, July 3. The German Goneral Otto voh Bellow has been appointed to the supreme command of the Austrians in Italy.—(Press Assoc,