PROGRESS OF THE ITALIAN OFFENSIVE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3173, 25 August 1917, Page 7

PROGRESS OF THE ITALIAN OFFENSIVE

FURTHER POSITIONS CARRIED OVER SIXTEEN THOUSAND PRISONERS CAPTURED _ London, August 29. Admiralty, per Wireless Press.—An Italian official report states: "We made progress 011 the northern and southern sectors of the Julian front. In tho Carso, our troops, after repulsing counter-attacks, carried positions south-cast of Dosso I'aiti. Up to yesterday, 16,000 men and 350 officers had been taken prisoner. Our aeroplanes and airships'dropped twelve tons of bombs among the enemy."—Aus.N.Z. Cablo Assn.-Reuter. AUSI'RIANS RETIRING ON LONG FRONT OBTAINING REINFORCEMENTS FROM GALICIA. Rome, August. 23. The Italian offensive has forced the Austrian? to obtain reinforcements from the Eastern front. The 12th Division consists mainly of recent arrivals from Galicia. After nine countor-attacks had boon repulsed near Korite, tho Italians 'took tho offensive, and capturcd an entire regiment. Another brigade assaulted Hills 241 and 247 at least seven times, .and took thousands of prisoners. On t'he following morning it proceeded to assault tho strong lines before Selo, in spite of the determined Austrian resistance. The enemy has abandoned almost his entiro first-line from tho to the sea, on a front of four miles. Prisoners are still coming in.—Renter. INCREDIBLY FEROCIOUS FIGHTING AUSI'RIANS SUFFER HUGE LOSSES. (Rec. August 25, 0.30 a.m.) Rome, August 24. Several Austrian divisions on tho Carso were so badly shattered that they liave been withdrawn from the firing line. The fighting Hermada lis marked by incredible ferocity. An Austrian reserve division on the third day of the struggle was thrown in in an effort to break the Italian iron ring. Airmen signalled their presence, and suddenly four hundred Italian guns opened a terrific and accurate fire, scattering tho division like chaff. An. Austrian detachment in the Selo sector, wearing Italian uniforms, got near the Italians with a hundred machine-guns, but the trick was discovered, and all were annihilated, British and Italian naval guns were largely instrumental in piercing the defence of the Carso. Northward the Italian front is beiug methodically advanced along the entire line. "II Secoto" states that Hermada is completely invested by land and sea, and is undergoing most intense attacks. -Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn."