THE ITALIAN FRONT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17148, 30 October 1917, Page 5

THE ITALIAN FRONT

FIGHT TO A FINISH. GERMANY' WANTS POLITICAL VICTORY. ALLIES MAY NEED TO ASSIST. Australian am! N.Z. Cable Association. ROME, October 28. (Received Oct. 29, at 7.45 p.m.) The war correspondents are unanimously if opinion that the Austro-German offensive will mean a fight to a finish, because Germany is determined to seek a political victory over Italy's stubborn resistance to German pacifist activities. Germany, aiming at the disruption of the Entente, planned an offensive on a tremendous scale. Troops and transports had for weeks been pouring from the Balkans and Russia, which fronts are now almost stripped. The armies include some of the finest German troops, all well equipped with artillery and machine guns. Latest bulletins indicate that the Italians have not yet stemmed the assaults. London military critics admit that the offensive is a grim ordeal for Italy, and it may be necessary to speedily come to her aid, especially with artillery reinforcements. AN AUSTRAIN CLAIM. CORIZIA RE-TAKEN. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. AMSTERDAM, October 28. (Received Oct. 29, at 11.25 p.m.) A Vienna official report states that the ' iustrians have occupied Gorizia, and the italians have withdrawn across the Isonzo. AN ITALIAN ADMISSION. COWARDICE OP SOME UNITS. BALANCE OF ARMY STANDS BRAVELY. Admiralty, per Wireless Frees. LONDON, October 28. (Received! Oct. 29, at 11.25 p.m.) Italian official: The failing resistance of some units forming the Second Army, retiring-in cowardice without fighting, or surrendering, allowed the Austro-Germans to penetrate our left wing on the Julian front. Valiant efforts of the troops were unable to prevent the enemy from advancing into Italy's sacred soiL We are withdrawing to a line according to a plan prepared. All stores and depots in the eva-, cuated places have been destroyed. The record of so many memorable battles successfully fought by our brave soldiers in the two and a-half years' war is sufficient to assure the Commander-in-Chief that the army to which the country's honour has been safely confided knows how to fulfil its duty. GERMAN OFFICIAL REPORT, SUCCESS OF THE ATTACK. ■ MORE EXTRAVAGANT CLAIMS. Admiralty, per Wireless Presn. LONDON, October 28. {Received Oct. 29, at 11.25 p.m.) German official: The' rapid development of the united attack on the Isonzo was entirely successful. On Saturday a powerful thrust threw back the Italians, seeking to prevent us from emerging from the mountains. We entered" Cividale, which was burning. The Austrians and Germans took Gorizia early in the morning. The prisoners captured now total 80,000, and the guns 600. SOLDIERS ON THE HEIGHTS. FATE NOT YET ASSURED. v The Times. LONDON, October 28. (Received Oct. 29, at 11.25 p.m.) Mr Ward Price writes: An insidious and widespread German propaganda in Italy accompanies the, offensive. General Cadorna's measures on the new line of defence should enable the troops fighting on the heights to retire on their first support. NEW ITALIAN MINISTRY. Router's TflecTama. ROME, October 28. (Received Oct. 29, at 11:25 p.m.) Signor Orlando has been asked to form a Cabinet. It is anticipated that there will be few changes in the Ministry as at present constituted. ENEMY REINFORCEMENTS EXAGGERATED. VICTORY DUE TO GERMANS. FROM THREE TO FIVE DIVISIONS ATTACKING. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter. LONDON, October 29. (Received Oct. 30, ,at 1.10 a.m.) It is authoritatively reported that the number of enemy troops that have recently arrived on the Italian front has ijbcen grossly exaggerated. _As far as is known, only five German divisions are on the Isonzo front, and of these only three have been definitely identified by the Italians as having participated in the attack. Possibly ' another German division has arrived, but did not engage in the attack. Two out of the five above-men-tioned divisions came from tho western front, where they had suffered heavily at the hands of tho British, and where they were replaced by two divisions from Russia. Tho German strength on the West front is therefore undiminished; indeed, it has been increased by two divisions since the ,Ist August. The remainder of the German reinforcements on the Italian front were transferred from Russia and Rumania. Regarding tho Austrian reinforcements, only two Austrian divisions are known to have- arrived on the Italian front last month, but jwssibly two others have recently arrived, though they have not yet

been identified. The total reinforcements therefore known to have arrived on the Italian front amount to only seven divisions, and the enemy's success was entirely due to the presence of from three to five German divisions, who attacked on the Plezzo-Tolmino front.