FIERCE BATTLE ON THE GORZ FRONT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 278, 22 November 1915, Page 5

FIERCE BATTLE ON THE GORZ FRONT.

RAIN OF DEATH FROM ITALIAN BATTERIES. TEN THOtWAND UNBURIED DEAD BETWEEN LIKES. AMERICAN CORRESPONDENT'S STORY OF THE FIGHTING. LONDON, November 21. The German-American war correspondent, Karl Wiegand, cabling to the "New York World" on November 4, says:— * "A great battle for the Gorz-Doberdo plateau began two days ago. The weather is probably without parallel on any other front. It has rained in torrents for two weeks, and the low-lying places along the Isonzo to the sea are mud to the hips. The deep trenches blasted through the rock have been converted by mountain torrents into this mess. "The Italian batteries pour a hail of shell and shrapnel day and night. The concentrated Italian artillery is splendidly served, and surpasses anything I saw when the Germans smashed their way through the Russian lines. Those who participated in the lighting on the Russian front declare that it was child's play compared with this. Doberdo Plateau and a portion of Monte Pogdora are called 'hell' —a name that is justified. General Cadorna is concentrating 1,500 guns, and the full weight of his army, against the plateau at Gorz, on a front not exceeding 12 miles. The bravery and unbelievable endurance of the Austrians, under indescribable conditions, are beyond imagination. IMPORTANCE OF THE CAMPAIGN. "The importance of the Italian conflict appears to be greatly underestimated, especially as regards its bearing on the general situation of the Central Powers, if General Cadorna takes Gorz and Trieste. On the Isonzo, the Austrians have held their lines for six months against odds of three to one. Tim Italians have gained a firm footing on the edge of the plateau, and have advanced somewhat at a terrible cost. They have made unappreciable progress elsewhere. ••There is desperate fighting on the slopes of San Michele, at Pogdora and San Sabotina, which, if taken, means the loss of Gorz. San Michele is known as 'The Mountain of Corpses," from the heaps of Italian dead in front of the Austrian trenches. In all directions there is a picture beyond imagination in ghastliness. ITALIANS SHOW GREAT DASH IN CHARGING. "The Archduke Joseph estimates that there arc over 10,000 unburied dead in front of his lines. He states that the fighting of the Italians is increasingly improving, and in the charge they show great elan. The shock is greater than in the Russian charges, but if the charge is withstood the Italians quickly retire, whereas the Russians move on until they are shot down. The Italians, on some days, fire 70,000 shells of shrapnel, until the rocky surfaces look as if they have been shaved by a gigantic razor. Sapping and mining in the rocky ground is practically impossible. The effect of shell fire is made more terrible by its hurling showers of rock, which crush the men." <GCRZ HEAVILY SHELLED BY ITALIAN BATTEHIES. An Austrian communique says:—Three thousand shells fell in Gorz in ■ two hours, causing serious fires. The military damage was trifling. The inhabitants suffered severe losses in lives and property. The enemy repeatedly penetrated our lines on the Doberdo Plateau. We maintained our positions after hand-to-hand fighting. The Austrian losses in the vicinity of Gorz on Friday are estimated at a.oon. ITALIAN SUCCESS IN SAN MICHELE ZONE. An official communique states that the brigade in the San Michele zone has conquered the whole of the mountain ridge leading to the Isonzo River, between Pekano and Boschini. The enemy during the night made repeated and furious counter-attacks, and succeeded seven times in reaching the Italian line. Each time he was thrown back in disorder, nnd then UiR fusiliers charged and dispersed the Austrians, capturing much material. Enemy aeroplanes droppbd bombs on Verona and Vicenza. There were few casualties. Fifteen bombs were dropped in Udino, an Italian town north-west of Gorz and near the Austrian frontier, killing 12 civilians and wounding 19. i *