THE ITALIAN OFFENSIVE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17104, 8 September 1917, Page 7

THE ITALIAN OFFENSIVE

COUNTER-ATTACKS REPULSED.

ENEMY POSTS DESTROYED.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, September 6. Italian official: The struggle north-east of Gorizia continues. On the Carso Plateau we repulsed repeated attacks south, of tho Brestovizza Valley. Wβ destroyed enemy posts on tho Trentirio front.

AN AUSTRIAN STATEMENT. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association , . LONDON, September 6. Austrian war correspondents state that Monte San Gabrielle (north-east of Gorizia) is still held by tho Austrians against many massed attacks. The Italians captured the summit several times, but were thrown back.

AUSTRIAN COUNTER-ATTACKS

HOW THEY WERE CHECKED,

CLEVER ARTILLERY WORK,

LONDON, September 6. (Received Sept. 7, at 8 p.m.) Mr Perceval Gibbon writes: The Austrians are counter-attacking from a triple mile line of defences between Kastanjevica and the coast. The great east and west valley of Brestovizza gives a highway for the attackers, -while the heavily-armed Herrnada slopes run steeply down to the southern end of the Italian line immediately south of Kastanjevica. The Austrians have less advantage iii fighting on the level country. • Here they were stopped dead, and their offensive power was destroyed. The Austrian " shock" troops made seven successive attacks, from which there were few survivors. The Austrians at the rear of Hermada charged downhill, and, supported by furious shelling, they entered the Italian lines at two points. The Italian and British gunners put up a shrapnel curtain and shut out the reserves. The Italians simultaneously attacked and won back both points, inflicting heavy losses.

AUSTRIAN LOSSES. ESTIMATED AT A HUNDRED AND TWENTY THOUSAND. Renter's Telegrams. LONDON, September 7. (Received Sept. 8, at 0.35 a.m.) Austrian prisoners on the Italian front total 30,000. The enemy losses since the beginning of the offensive are estimated at 120,000.