ITALY'S GRIM ORDEAL

North Otago Times, Volume CVI, Issue 13982, 19 November 1917, Page 5

ITALY'S GRIM ORDEAL

7 "n BATHE FROM MOUNTAINS TO THE SEA / : AIISTRO-GERMANS FURIOUSLY ATTACKINC ALLIED REINFORCEMENTS ARRIVING IN GREAT NUMBERS ■"' '■'■... l '■ ■ • '• $ • ' , RUSSIA SUBMERGED IN BLOODSHED AND CRIME KERENSKY BEATEN AND DISCREDITED EXTREMISTS HOLD SWAY IN PETROGRAD i FIERCE FIGHTING ON PASSCHENDAELE BRILLIANT ADVANCE ON JERUSALEM I V '■ ' ' (Cable —Press Association —Coypright.) ALLIED TROOPS POUR INTO ITALY ~' GALLANT FRENCH MARCH ACROSS THE ALPS. DEMONSTRATIVE' CHEERFULNESS ,OF BRITISHERS j „ S IMPRESSES ITALIAN PEOPLE. 'GROWING STRENGTH OF ITALIAN RESISTANCE. t (Australian and Reuter). Received November 18, at 5.5 p.m. LONDON, November 17. Hr G. Ward Price reports that each day Anglo-French reinforcements reach Italy in greater numbers. Some French troops, in order to relieve the congestion on the railways, marched across the Alps through passes already covered with snow, thus repeating Napoleon's achievements. Those already arriving are taking up' their appointed places in the Italian scheme of defence; They are tremendously delighted with the change of scene. The British are in high spirits in their new adventure, and are singing the latest songs. One.might think they are coming to gather the fruits of a ready-made victory, and not to make desperate efforts to help retrieve a defeat. The Italians are surprised at the Britishers demonstrative cheerfulness, and the .towns.are receiving them well. The Scotsmen's kilts are having their inevitable success. . i ITALIANS HOLD FRONT PROM THE ASIAGO TO THE HAVE. ~; ; , BRILLIANT EFFORTS OF NAVAL GARRISONS. '■■ , ' .' ■ i GERMANS CLAIM CAPTURE OF SEVERAL' POSITIONS.. .-■■• r '.'■'.• ... (Australian and Renter). Received November 18, at 5.5 p.m. ■ ..'■•". ■ " LONDON, November. 17. • ;,'. An Italian semi-official report speaks of the fine discipline and ' perfect order characterising the retirement of the naval garrisons on the right wing. They saved' the precious war materia], which now confronts the enemy in the new positions? They repulsed .it- • tempts at the crossing below Revedoli. The.ltalian naval forces .: Hare constantly protecting this .link, repeatedly bombarding the ■enemy rafts attempting to. cross the Piavo. ' '. ' ' ' : v, '■..';■■. (Australian and Reuter). Received November 18, at 5,6 p.m. •■': ■' " r \ LONDON, November 17. An Italian official report' says: We maintain our front from . ■ the Asiago Plateau to the Piave river, despite intense fire.and; violent attacks. We resisted and made several counter-attacks. ' Wo took many prisoners and are retaining all our positions. The artillery encounters continue across the Piave. (Australian and Renter). Received November 18, at 5.5 p.m. ' LONDON, November d 7. A wireless German official report says: We captured spvcral hill positions, north-eastward of Gallio, on both sides of the Brenta Valley, and we captured Cismon. There is intense artillery activ- , itjr on the Lower Piayc, The Hungarians took a thousand pris-, oners on the" west bank. , * •' . . . - / ■*.. " '.. /' ' ' ' "* v \

AUSTRO-GEMANS EMULATE VERDUN . TAOTIOS;, ] \ ■ <"' ">;• ■' '..,- •-" . PIERCE AND SUSTAINED FTGHTING FROM ,MOUN--1 TAINS TO ' THE, SEA. ENEMY SACRIFICING TROOPS TO RBGATN - POSITIONS, . t V 'l' ?, (Renter's Telegrami.) \ Received November 18, at 11.5 p.m. 1 LONDON, November 17." Router's Italian Headquarters correspondent reports: The battle* is raging in brilliant weather on a seventy mile front, from the mountains to the sea. The Austro-Germans are 1 pounding Settc Convmum; Plateau with violentWtacks r similar to Vferdun, but at shorter intervals, with" ever-grbwiiig/forcesj.' The Italians' on Monte Grappa, six thousand feet in height, are withstanding .the enemy waves, and are preventing a descent'on'to Asiago,'Trevisa ' and Cicenza. The struggle is the fiercest along the Piave River, ■ where the Italians, by great'sacrifices,'almost reconquered Zendon bend. . '/■'' . •• .', ••■• ;<;■••. Mr Percival Gibbon writes::' South, of;Donadi: on ;the Piave, where the enemy crossed,, the Italian's, broke the (Janals and flooded the country"to a depth v of three feet, 7 Tlie^eiiemy.is'' being resetted in boats and is \now: engaged 'by naval Jprces; on the northern edge of the Venetian Lagoon. The erienry. has a terrible numerical superiority in airchaft. ' '' :; " s "■' •'"' An Italian official report says: The enemy, not considering his losses, has renewed his attacks from the Asiago Plateau to the sea.Between Sette Tuol and San. Andreadi and Barlarano', ,the enemy! forced a passage, under protection of the most violent artillery fire, ' and crossed to the right bank at Folina.and Fagare. Our artillery ' destroyed the enemy at Folina. We took three hundred surveyors as prisoners. We heavily attacked the. greater' number which 'crossed at Fagare, taking six hundred prisoners. .-.. Our. artillery shelled the rest, hindering their return-to the other bank; The enemy at Zendon loop is being closed in in a restricted zone! A.wireldess German official report, says: Despite stubborn dc- . fence the Austro-Germans climbed.Monte,Prasoian,,between the Brenta and the Piave, and.took eight hundred prisoners.. •• ■ ■ ' •■ ■■■,*'.'•■ ITALIANS DOGGEDLY* RESIST ENEMY'S DESPERATE ATTACKS. \ BRAVE DEFENDERS HOL DMAIN BULWARKS SECURE. ADVANCE OF ENEMY NECESSITATES'.: EVACUATION. OF VENICE. " "'. . '/'.' ("The Timei" Service,) Received November 18, at 5.5 p.m. . " > . LONDON, November 17. Mr-J. N. Jefferies,'The Times correspondent writes-from, thft Italian Headquarters: The enemy is desperately attacking and the Italians are doggedly resisting where they fought the. great defensive bnltles in 1916, amid the last resting-places of theircomrades. They are determined not to yield these tombs or allow %. enemy to force an entrance to the plains. The.cnemy is using frosh reserves and is giving no respite. The Italians, almost an : inhibiting the massed Attacks on Monte Vonso, threw back anentire division. Monte Fion, Monte Castel, and Monte Gomberto, the main bulwarks of defence remain firm. •" -.,,: •'• Venice is rapidly emptying.: Twenty thousand remain; All removable works of art have gone. The'ducal palaces have been stripped, and most of the shops have closed. The remaining inhabitants are cheerful and confident. British monitors are participtaing in the defence of the Piave, < and are bombarding the enemy at the mouth of the river. ' ITALY'S VIEW OF CO-ORDINATION OP MILITARY EFFORT. ' ■ '-' STRONGLY FAVOURS INTED:ALLIED COMMAND, (Australia and New Zeal'i'nd Oalilo AMOcintlon i Received November 18, at 5.5 p.m. . LONDON, November 17. The Rome correspondent of The Daily Telegraph states that the nOAVspapers,' commenting on the new War Council, disclosed the feeling that Italy is unanimously in favour of.a-strong Inter-Allied command, instead of an Inter-Allied Board of Consultation only. GERMANS MCE IN WEST FRUITLESS SACRIFICE OF ATTACKING DIVISIOIIS. ' 'BAVARIANS MUST ATTACK OR ,RETIR|; (Australian and New Zealand Cable Aiioeiatlon.j / >. ■7 •;•' . , PARIS, November 16. ■ The special correspondent of The, Nation, writing froni the British front, says: After poiuiding the British 'first;line's;at; Passchendaele for a week the enemy launched his:first serious counter-attack to-day. v Owing to having the possession', of, the', ' heights, the British artillery was able to overlook- the enemy's; gun ; emplacements, also all his shelters and .concentration points. :Qur ■ guns swept'the enemy's rear lines, Aviped out his communications and spoiled his preparations, while our advanced poEts, with machine guns; stopped the Bavarians, despite a sheltering ' fog. Prince Riipprecht must cither continue his fruitless attacks or retreat twenty kolimetres. . ' .'.•',■'■'.'>:■,■'•.. I Australian and' New Zealand Cable Association and -Reuter.) ■ • [ . : LONDON,'November 16, :■■•' Sir Douglas Ilaig reports: We.successfully,raided last night . north-ea;s.'lwnrd of Faimpeoux, and repulsed an attempt to approach ' out lines northward of Poelcappelle. ~ I FURTHER PORTIONS OF STRONG DEFENCES TAKEN I , JBY BRITISH. ' | ENEMY ARTILLERY ACTIVE ALONG j BATTLE FRONT. FROM BELGIuiI, TO THE CHAMPAGNE/' |, .■fAiißti-alinri and liculfr). > Received November 18, at 5.5 p.m; • >'^ LONDON, November'l7. " A later report says that the Highland, Berkshire, and Lancashire detachments last evening, carried out successful operations in the neighbourhood of Passchendaele. They capfurcd-further post tions on ( the main ridge, northwards of the" village, including a strongly fortified farm. The British silgljtly advanced iheir line at certain points westward of this locality. TJie,enem'y's njtillery was active all night, on the battle front, particularly in ,* Passchendaele sector; A French communique reports active,.artillery, struggles from Belgium* to tjic,Champagne, also in Mortelton, Region and on tlje , night bank of'the Mouse. -, •. >.l ."\>'"■,;. ;/