AUSTRIAN DEBACLE

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 4899, 19 June 1918, Page 5

AUSTRIAN DEBACLE

COSTLY FAILURE IN ITALY . ALLIES’ LINE SOLIDLY MAINTAINED Enemy Sustains Heavy Punishment

ALLIES’ B!0 BAG OF PRIIOMEBS

Australian and N.Z. Cabl» Association PARIS, June 17. M. Marcel Hutin says: —The two days’ battle gives the impression that the Emperor Karl ha& sustained a reverberating check, which may shortly be transformed into a colossal defeat. The C-orriere Della Serra’s correspondendent says:—'The Austrian assault on the first day succeeded in gaining only some positions in our advanced line. Thelse small initial successes were wiped out by counter attacks. The Italian, British and French troops on the Asiago Plateau offered a steadfast resistance, throwing back dense wave after wave of the attackers. The barrier on the plateau is intact.

TIMELY NAVAL COUP. AN INTERESTING SUGGESTION. Reuter’s Telegrams- ~ (Received June 18, 5.5 p.m.) ROME, June 17. The Italia says the Austrian naval division which Commander Rizzo broke up when he torpedoed the Szent Istvan was proceeding on a mission to bombard a town on the Adriatic in conjunction with the lane, offensive. SEVERE AUSTRIAN DEFEAT. BATTLE DIES DOWN. SHAKEN ENEMY REORGANISING. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reut-pr's-(Received June 18, 7.45 p.m.) LONDON, June 17 (9.30 p.m.) A Britisli-Itaiian official report says:— The artillery battle has died down and'the enemy is reorganising after a .severe defeat. Captured maps show that the _ enemy’s objectives were most ambitious, including the capture of Mt. Pau and Cimadicronte. Our prisoners now total 716, and our booty includes four mountain guns, 43 machine-guns, and seven flame-throwers.

The newspapers assert that the explanation of the offensive's failure is found in the counter-attacks’ corn plete success. It is significant that no Germans, Bulgars or Turks participated l in the attack. Its failure is expected to produce serious internal consequences in Austria.

An official report says: -—The determined resistance of our troops has prevented the enemy breaking through.

The battle is proceeding on the whole front from the Alps to the sea, with alternating fluctuations, but the Italians’ valient counter-attacks have succeeded . in re-establishing thei v original line. The Austrians furiously renewed their assaults against the rocky walls in the Brenta Valley, hoping to force a way through ter Bassano, which was their first day’s objective, but their efforts were in vain. An onslaught on Monte Grappa was also brought to a standstill, The enemy’s infiltration ' across the Piave followed the bombardment, quickly profiting by the gas smoke clouds.

Considering the severity of the bombardment .and the intensity of the fighting, our casualties were of the, slightest. Our airmen on Saturday and Sunday dropped over three hundred bombs and fired over 25,000 rounds on troops and transport attempting to cross the Piave.

Our counter-attack pinned the enemy to the hank of the stream. A battalion of the 29th Austrian Regiment crossed in boats ill tho Molino-Seger - Sette - Tuttol sector, profiting by islands in the centre of the river. \ second battalion also tried to cross, but the Italian mowed down half in mid-stream. ‘Nearly a thousand survivors were captured. Premier Orlando stated that ■ the Austrians crossed the Piave and were driven hack with heavy losses.

ALLIES CAPTURE 4500 PRISONERS.

AUSTRIANS BEATEN TO A STANDSTILL.

ITALY FIRM ON THE PIAVE.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter’s. (Received June 18, 8.30 p.m.)

ROME, June 17. An Italian official report says:—

Following Saturday’s heavy losses, the enemy on Sunday limited his ari tention to hindering with intense fire our own and the Allied counteroffensive. The latter, however, were able to gain pafitiai successes and rectify the line at several points. Tlie battle proceeded with extreme violence along the Piave, where the enemy, heedless of losses, continued powerful pressure in order to extend the occupation of Mbnteicello and thereby open a way to the plains. We strongly engaged the enemy on the line of Ciano-Montello and the. crest of Standroa, holding our positions on the river between St. Androa and Fossalto, and also effectively • opposing the advance before the bends of St. Dona. We and our Allies have now taken prisoner 4500 men, including 261 by the French. Forty-four enemy aeroplanes have been downed in two days.

ENEMY CLAIMS. AUSTRIAN COMMUNIQL E. Australian and N.Z- Cable Association Reuter’s Telegrams. LONDON, June 17. A wireless Austrian official message states: —We captured an enemy position on the Piave and astride of the Oderno-Trevisa railway on a broad front.

We gained possession of a defensive work on the eastern edge of Montello, and penetrated to the high wood. Prince Sclionberg was wounded by a shell and taken prisoner. On the Piave 10,000 of the enemy were captured, with 50 guns. In our first assault astride of the Brenta we penetrated the third of the enemy’s positions, taking prisoner six thousand.

We partially maintained our gams. The enemy re-captured Painrico mountain, east of Brenta, and forced us t-o evacuate a portion of the captured territory. In the Seven Communes, we captured Dossoalto, near Eiva, and stormed Dornodicavento, in Odamello Tire Austrians claim that fifteen thousand prisoners were captured at Camporile- ' . (Received June 18, 0.0 p.m.)

FOREWARNED AND FORE-

ARMED.

ALLIES HEAVILY PUNISH AUSTRIANS.

ENEMY’S MASSED GUNS UN-

HEARD

iieuter’? Telegrams. (Receive*] June 18, 7.55 p.m.) ROME, June 17. • Italian war correspondents state that the date of the enemy’s offensive was fixed for a week ago and the Italian command was prepared. The enemy’s movements never escaped observation, even in bad weather, though large movements of troops were carried out with the object of diverting attention from the real point of „ attack. 'Die Italian and Franco-British artillery counter- preparation began at midnight, before the enemy’s preparation started, and the Allies’ artillery fire was so rapid and accurate that the enemy’s lines were thrown into confusion. Even the infernal fire of two. thousand guns failed to silence our artillery. The enemy’s first waves consisted of Czechs and Slovaks, hut their losses were so heavy that they were withdrawn to the rear.

An Austrian official report says.: —- AVe maintained 1 on Sunday against violent attacks the Brenta mountain positions carried on Saturday. We advanced westward m the Monteila region and wrested more ground westward of Sandona and capture Caposile. Our prisoners on the southwestern front now total 12,000.

ENEMY’S FAILURE IMPORTANT.

GENERAL MAURICE’S VIEWS

PIAVE ATTACK LESS IMPORTANT.

Australian and N.Z. «able Association (Received June 18, 5.5 P-Ui.) LONDON. June 17.

'General Maurice writes:— . The Austrian main attack in the mountains was on either side ot tuft Brenta on a front of twenty miles, with the object of securing issues to the plains by way of the Brenta and Astico valleys. If the attack had been successful the Italians would have been compelled to fall back from the Piave in most difficult cncunv stances for 50 miles across the Bren ta to longer and less secure lines behind the Astico ; also, involving the abandonment of Venice and adua. Therefore the complete failure of the attack in this sector is of the highe, Austrians’ attack across the Piave is -less vital. It appears to be divided into two parts—first against Montello Ridge, and second against the Lower Piave. They crossed the Piave at the foot of . Montello, but their progress so far is insignificant

The principal effort was- entrusted to General Chcnchemeil who was ordered to descend bv the Val Brenta to Bassano, while General Kirchbach’s army was ordered to cross the Piave, aiming, at' Treviso. Austrian heavy guns shelled towns and villages far in the rear, three hundred gas shells falling in Treviso along.

ITALIANS AT THEIR BEST.

FORCES ABOUT EQUAL IN NUMBERS.

GERMANY PUSHED AUSTRIA INTO OFFENSIVE.

E outer’s Telegrams. (Received June 18, 11.45 p.m.) LONDON, June 17. Reuter’‘s correspondent learns from an Italian military source that all past losses of material have been made good, the munitions .factories working splendidly. The troops have been highly brained and reorganised and are better fed and granted increased nay and insured m ca -®® death while provision has been made fur reinstating the injured in civil life. Consequently the spirit of .the armv is splendid and higher than it • ia f+, e ls r belieVed that the forces of the belligerents are about equal and that the number of opposing divisions if about .the same, although Austria bnc larger reserves. .. , , It is also believed that the present offensive was forced upon Austria by the German High Command 'owing fo pressure from the German people and despite the knowledge of the exis ,enco •of disaffection in the Austrian army.

high officers satisfied

A CONFIDENT STATEMENT

Eeuter's Telegrams. (Received June 18, 5.5 P- m -) v LONDON. June 17. Reuter’s correspondent with the British army in Italy _on the 16th interviewed a high British officer, who expresses himself in every way satisfied with, the result of the Austrian ettnek against the British. Our airmen on the Piave broke up at least seven bridges and fired 25 000 rounds from a low altitude.

FORCING THE PIAVE. ARTIFICIAL FOG AGAIN. ENEMY’S CLEVER TACTICS FAIL, Tho Tim oe (Received Juno 18, 9.35 p.m.) LONDON, June 17. The large number of Austrians taken prisoner on the Italian Rector indicates the energy of the attack and the determination with which it was countered. Most of the ground gained was along tlie Piave, . where the enemy made three principal crossings and established three bridge heads preparatory to blinding the Italian artillery and "aeroplanes with vast quantities of. smoke shells. Both river trenches were enveloped in a dense black fog and the Austrian patrols hurried forward in boats and rafts and crossed the river under our random fire and then pulled over reinforcements in pontoons. The most notable crossing occurred in the important Montello sector where .the Piave leaves the mountains and enters the Venetian plain. The results on the British sector were better. It is reported’ that the earlier resistance exhausted four enemy divisions, whose casualties are estimated at five thousand. Ours were ■ comparatively trifling. We took prisoners 700 men and captured .many guns and our patrols are constantly collecting abandoned war material.' The enemy is tho Toughl v demoralised and his deficiencies in comparison with the British are more evident than ever before. . Apparently only 15 fresh divisions are available ior a continuance of their disappointing enterprise. The French flung hack the enemy easily after .a brief attack in tlie adjoining British sector. . , The most important attempt by the Austrians to cross the river liave was in the Montello sector, because that point represents a hinge between the mountains and the Piave sec torThe latest reports show that the lighting on the British front was moie successful than first accounts indicated. Tlie enemy has so far engaged 27 divisions out of 59.

ENEMY’S AMBITIOUS

SCHEME.

ANOTHER PINCERS STROKE

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association (Received' June 18, 9.10 p.m.) WASHINGTON, June Ir. Diplomatic despatches from _ Italy state that the Austrian plan is to smash the Italian defences in the Brenta region ancl capture Bassmo and simultaneously cross the 1 iave and capture the railway junction at Treviso and trap the Allies between a pair of giant pincers.

AUSTRIA USES HER FULL STRENGTH.

MIGHTY BLOW AT ITALY

GAINS ON PIAVE TRIFLING

Australian and N.Z. Oablo Association

Renter's Telegrams. (Received June 19. 1.40 a.m.) LONDON .June 18. An Italian semi-official report sa y g •—— Seventy-one of Austria’s 92-ciob-ilised divisions have already been identified constituting the whole or Austro-Hungary's efficiency in troops. The enemv is employing all his available artillery and aircraft. and no few than 7500 guns are in action. Three Austro-Hungarian armies are engaged under Field-marshall Von Neowna— namely Von Sclieutchensmel’s army between Astico an the Piave, the Archduke Joseph s at Montello, and Von Wnnn s on the lower Piave. „ , ~ Thousands of bodies coyer the ground in the mountain sector and are becoming heaped. . - Along the Piave the gams aftei two days were very slight compared with the objectives assigned for the fU Captured orders urge the' for the capturing of the fo^ e T ??fSJ with a view to reaching the Italian supplies and also proved instructions for the army living on the countiv s resources and for personal pillage.