SMASHING AUSTRIAN DEFEAT

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 4905, 26 June 1918, Page 5

SMASHING AUSTRIAN DEFEAT

ENEMY CHASED ACROSS THE PIAVE

Thousands of Prisoners Gapturei

ITALIANS’ GLORIOUS VICTORY

(United, Ptesa Association —-Conyright.)

LONDON, June 24. Ihe Daily Telegraph’s Milan correspondent says: The two Austrian operations have become incoherent since Thursday. . The attacks have been limited to a few straggling efforts. The Emperor arrived on the scene, not to record victory, but to advise what was best to be done in the disastrous circumstances. He made a rapid inspection of the Alpine sections, and then proceeded to the lines behind the Piave. accompanied by the Archduke Frederick, General Arz, Chief of Staff, and the Prussian Major-General Cramon. representing Hindenburg and Ludendorff. A consultation, was held with the commanders at each army headquarter's, and then a Council of War was convened at a villa near th© Piave, where a general cessation of the attack was decided on.

SMASHING ITALIAN VIGTORY. PRACTICALLY ALL POSITIONS REGAINED. WHOLE OF PIAVE RETAKEN. neuter's Telegrams. (Received June 25/ 8.10 p.m.) LONDON, June 24. The latest news states that the Austrians wholly evacuated Montello and recrossed the river, partly by the one remaining bridge and partly by wading. They were followed up by , the Italians, - who captured one general and hundreds of prisoners and also recaptured 72 of their own guns. The Italians are now on the north hank, with one bridge at Faily and another at Nervaea, where they are making bridgeheads and meeting with little opposition. Between Montello and Zenson the Italians are on the river the whole distance. They are making bridgeheads at Pont di Pjave and on the whole of that front are pushing over cavalry. The - enemy south of Zenson are fighting a stubborn rear-guard action in order to cover the retreat of the main army, hut only two bridgeheads are left them—one at San Dona and the other at Grisolera. The Italians have recovered t'he Caposile bridgeheads with, prisoners. The situation at present iB that the Italians have practically restored the situation to what it was before the Austrian attack.

The Emperor left via the Tyro] after visiting his brother. Archduke Maximilian, who is nearly deaf through a shell burst; The French press regards the Austrians’ defeat as almost a complete rout. An Italian semi-official message statels: Our pursuit at certain points reached the left bank of the Piave. The Austrians abandoned considerable quantities of war material. Hie prisoners have not yet been counted.

Continued pressure on Sunday from Montello seawards obliged the enemy to retire in disorder, and he has already been thrown hack at almost all points to the left bank of the Piave. • Montello was entirely ire-taken, and along the Piave considerable bodies of Italians have in large sectors fought a way to the old line on the right bank. Infantry arq] cavalry detachments reconquered several positions on the left bank at Caposile. Numerous bombing squadrons elsewhere also thrown across the river. The Germans are hurrying troops from France t-o Italy. AUSTRIANS APPEAL FOR AID. ENORMOUS LOSSES SUSTAINED. The Times. LONDON, June 24. The Times’ correspondent at Italian headquarters states that the trian command is asking the aid of Germany, which implies a recognition of Italy’s victory. . , The enemy’s losses, including prisoners amount to nearly 200,000. It is understood here that the result of the offensive prevents the wholesale transfer of Austrians to France,- with a view to counteipoising the Americans. P Mr G. Price writes: —The Austrians are badly beaten everywhere It is estimated that they bav e lost lß Hiev’ are still attempting to continue local fighting at the crossings of the Piave with a view to preparing for the next stage of a general struggle bv linking up the two salients. S Fierce collisions occurred in the central swamps of Cava and Zuccherina, which protect 1 emej. . y All fighting m this topsy turvy corner of the field was done along narrow shelves between dykes, givfng advantage to the defenders, who composed odd. assortments of sailors ° amphibious batteries moved alternately on land an W Mr‘Lovat Fraser says: It is too soon to sing the Doxology over Aussoon xu n m stout German Son? 'will betwoen “onale Pass and G Mr a Lloy<l-Georgo conside* it S'" fee “flies are ready for any blow Germany might launch. AUSTRIANS GIVE WAY. ITALIAN’S BIG CAPTURESENEMY FLUNG BACK OVER PIA.V Hr. . *NT Z Ca.™» Association Anatralia.n DON< June 24 ■ The Italians have captured 45,000 prisoners, enormous war stores, and are now pursuing the AustrSr” Ae“A«*n defeat &K lagged.

The enemy has very few reserves on the Piave sector, and also made few trenches east of the Piave, besides wbicb their lateral communications were bad, rendering the passage of reinforcements from the north extremely difficult. At a moderate estimate, the Austrians’ losses are double those of the Italians. ITALIAN CAUTION. RETREAT STEADILY FOLLOWED UP. ENEMY STILL IN GREAT STRENGTH. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association (Received June 25. 8.10 p.m.) LONDON. June 24. The situation in Italy abounds with possibilities, but General Daiz is unlikely to take risks, as he has already scored a great success. It is estimated that the Austrians have twenty divisions in general reserve, so it is impossible for General Diaz to throw his infantry across the Piave without full preparation. The Austrians thus far have used seventy divisions in the battle, each one-half more numerous than . the German divisions. Prisoners state that eight divisions initiated the storming of the Asiago Plateau, and yet.it was necessary to put in seven divisions of the reserve on the very first day, as the Aus- - trian losses were tremendous. It is now clear that a grandiose scheme for crushing Italy in order to enable a final Austro-German advance in France has collapsed. The Emperor Karl, realising that the situation was hopeless on the battlefield, hurried back to Vienna to deal with the civilian disorders. There is grave anxiety in Berlin regarding Austria, and the Kaiser has sent Ludendorff on a special mission to Vienna. Latest telegrams from the front say one cannot yet calculate the extent of the Austrian disaster. Ihe Italians, advancing showed .magnificent elan, the victory exalting the courage of the troops. ~ , Directly General Diaz learned that the .Austrian commander had given the order to retreat from Montello, his counter-attack increased its intensity. The Austrian retreat was commenced on Sunday, and by H o’clock on Monday morning the retreat. had become a ro.ut. Italian aviators continually bombed the Austrians crowding across the bridges, which were one by one destroyed until only a single bridge was left in the Montello sector. The Austrian casualties were at least 180,000, and the Italian losses were 80,000. , It is expected that the Austrian casualties will be immensely increased by the present fight. It is already known that their recrossing o, the Piave resulted in most serious losses. There were horrible scenes of carnage at the water’s edge, where masses .of bewildered Austrians were watching a chance to use the nastily improvised bridges, which the Italian artillery and aeroplanes continually destroyed. Many also were drowned in the river. . . . ~ The Pioneer American Aviation Corps did particularly brilliant service 1 in attacking the bridges until the passageways were finally blocked with dead and wounded Austrians. The Italians, after a violent bombardment, recaptured Nervesa by a brilliant bayonet charge on Sunday afternoon.

PARTIAL AUSTRIAN DISASTER.

ITALIANS TAKETHE OFFENa magnificent BLOW. Reuter’s Telegrams. ROME, June 24. Reuter’s Italian war correspondent mu~ Austrians are not only ], u -k R a re suffered partial disaster the extent and importance of "S issssf * '$S» ‘ w- * withdraw from attention, retreat w|tho»t attra*n frat cnem" i?n"B P di=coverod the manoenVr Th 0 Italian artillery an • ± e „ on the enemy troops as intense hre on tn rivcr an d at the v were crossing -morning the 11 o’clock yesterday . ™™™% cent Italian andToko in dash, took the ofte +r 6 Austrian the Montello front, on retirement became a disorder v tr At" Nirvasa, which ning of the offen^’ vG ’ pi ve are carryThe waters of the via . _ ing away much material a d dreds of corpses. , , f hItalian aviators, bombedland macn iue gunned the retreating masses which were crowding the bridges.

CROWNING ITALIAN VICTORY. DREADFUL SCENES ON THE PIAVE. AUSTRIANS’ LOSSES FEARFUL. Australian and N.Z. Cable Asrociatlo* and Reuter’s. (Received June 25, 9.10 p.m.) LONDON, June 24 (6.20 p.m.) - An Italian official report says:— Yesterday gave us the crowning results of the victory. The enemy was pushed up against the hank or the Piave on an ever-narrowing strip of ground unceasingly bombarded by our artillery and aeroplanes. After maintaining himself _ desperately on the right hank for eight days' at the cost of enormous sacrifices, the enemy began on the night ot June

a withdrawal to the left bank, crossing the river under the deadly fire ef our artillery. The retreat continued on Sunday, protected by a strong array of machine-guns and covering troops, who, after a stubborn resistance, were driven back from Montello, and all the right hank of the Piave, except a small portion at Mu'sils, where the struggle continues, has been recaptured. ■ An extraordinary number of Austrian dead cover the ground, proving the enemy’s valor and his great defeat. " ■ AUSTRIAN REPORT. A LAUGHABLE EVASION. Admiralty—Per Wireless Press. (Received June 25, 11.20 p.m.) LONDON. June 24. An Austrian official report says: The height of the river and bad weather caused us to evacuate Montello and other positions on the right bank of the Piave. The order was given four days ago, and our evacuation was not observed by the enemy.