ITALIAN COUNTER-OFFENSIVE LIGHTENS THE PRESSURE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 72, 18 December 1917, Page 5

ITALIAN COUNTER-OFFENSIVE LIGHTENS THE PRESSURE

HEAVY LOSSES INFLICTED WINTER SNOWS URGENTLY AWAITED London, December 16. An Italian official report states: —"The buttle between the Brenta and the Piave has continued fiorcely. Tho enemy launched a mass attack at noon yesterday. Our counter-offonsive, aiming at lightening the pressure, twice reached tho summit of Monte Portica. Tho enemy made a thrust at tho Col Caprile and south of tho Col della Beretta. Our counterattack completely repulsed tho assault, with heavy losses. _ The enemy again attacked, reached tho Col Caprilo, and firmly held positions a little to the rear. We twice repulsed strong attacks at the head of the Monte Solarolo salient." —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Router. (Rec. December 17, 11.30 p.m.) London, December 17. An Italian official report states"Uetween tho Brenta and tho Piave fife struggle had diminished in .intensity on Friday evening, and did not increase on Saturday. A prompt counter-attack drove back an attempted advance in tho Col della Bcrotta regioli."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-Reuter-. GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT. London, December 16. "A German official report states"Wo have taken prisoner in the last few days three thousand Italian troops between the Brenta and the Piavo." —Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.-Reuter. (Roc. December 17, 5.5 p.m.) • London, December 16. A German official report states"Tho Austrians stormed tho Italian positions southward of tho Col Caprilo and took several hundred prisoners." -Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.-Reuter. . I 5000 ENEMY GUNS FROM ASIAGO TO THE SEA HILLS AND VALLEYS FRIGHTFUL SHAMBLES. ' Paris, December 16. The "Matin's" Turin correspondent states that von Bulow's army, comprising nine divisions, is now disposed between the armies of General Krobatin and Field-Marshal Conrad von Hootzcndorff, on the spurs of Monte Grappa. ' The enemy has 5000 guns on the front from Asiago to tjie sea. The fifth day's battle between the Brenta and the Piave }fas tho most sanguinary since tho offensive began. The enemy threw in his reserve-divisions without regard to hip colossal losses, and at the end of tho day the bills and valleys were literally' covered with dead. Tho bombardment reached an un-heard-of violence." —Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. FIGHTING FOR TIME AND THE SNOW BOTH SIDES WATCHING THE BAROMETER, London, December 16. Mr Ward Price states that both sides are fighting with one eye on the barometer. The Italians are hoping to hold the advance until the winter snows in the Alps impose a "white truce." If the enemy fails to .win the Piave Plain all his previous reckless sacrifice of life will have been m vain. Time fights for us, but never in living memory has winter been so related. The peaks are still black where there should be ten feet of snow - 'The Times."