ITALIANS CAPTURE A MOUNTAIN FORTRESS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2484, 10 June 1915, Page 5

ITALIANS CAPTURE A MOUNTAIN FORTRESS

FAMOUS GUNS TAKEN SEVERE FIGHTING ON THE UPPER ISONZO Roma, Juno 2. Tho rtfllim'; caDtured Cortinia, after a difficult ascent of a rocky mounand tlw perilous occupation of a rid™. Hero thw were nearly outn w-Hm Auctriin infantry, but, mountain batteries, winch were cloy erlj fittWraWWb,'"*»'• "» i ""™ s - nitA-v wtxrn obliged to withdraw ro a pine forost. The Italians won tho fortress, which is armed with the famous Skoda e " DS 6fficial —"All along tlio frontier our advanced troops are capturing lmi „> nipptinir with hut feeble resistance. . , "AloS"the Isonzo, from Cnporertn to the sea we have occup.ed tho most niaces for crossing, and insta.lod bridgeheads. "Severe fighting continues oil tho Upper lepnzo; wo have gamed a sound iw;™ /in linth banks and seriously threaten Tolnuno. "cav-alry have crossed to the eastern bank of tho lower Isonzo, and are cntreiiching." _____ HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. The High Commissioner reports:"All along the frontier the Italians continue tp capture important position* The opposition is feeble, In the upper valley, beyond the Caporetto Mountains the Italians gained a sound footing on both banks of the Isonzo, seriously threatening Toknino ; In the lower stream Italian cavalry crossed to the eastern bank, entrenching; their losses were comparatively slight. NAVAL BOMBARDMENT OF MONTFALCONE Rome, June 8. The naval staff reports that on June 3 during t'lie bombardment of Monfalcone, three of the enemy batteries near Castlo Duino were shelled. ITie Italian destroyers later silenced the batteries and set the castle afire. Hie destroyers returned unharmed. 'An Italian dirigible again bombed the enemy's military position at roia. HOW THE AUSTRIANS LEFT THE FRONTIER PASSES BARRICADED, AND BRIDGES DESTROYED. ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) London, June 8. The newspaper "Correspondenta" states that before- abandoning the advance positions on the frontier, the Austrinns arrested thousands of Italian sympathisers, and told the inhabitants that tliey were sending to Askari troops to violate the women and pillagQ and destroy everything. The people promptly left. Tho Austrian!! then barricaded the passes with chains interwoven with wire entanglements, burnod and destroyed tho bridges, and retired to strongly protected mounted positions. Tho Austrians purposely left the rich valley of the Isonzo open, and the towns unprotected, to lure the Italians into a trap, believing tho ardour of the Italian troops would cause them to occupy the valley and enable tho Austrians to decimate them from the surrounding hills. Tho Italians, however, did not enter tho valley, but. instead, are assailing the hills. , BOMB-DROPPING EXPLOITS; AUSTRIANS CLAIM AN AIRSHIP: (Rec. June 9, 8.40 p.m.) Rome, June 9. Official.—An Austrian aeroplane bombed Venice, damaging some houses, and wounding a woman and a girl. Another bomb, which was dropped inland, killed one and wounded several persons. London, June 9. An official report from Vienna states that a. naval aeroplane shot down the Italian airship Citta di Forrara. Two officers and five of the crew were captured.