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Otago Witness, Issue 3197, 23 June 1915, Page 61

ITALY’S OFFENSIVE

COUNTER-ATTACKS REPULSED. SUCCESS AT SEVERAL POINTS. ROME, June 14. A communique states : Attempts to arrest our- offensive between Tonale and Carnia were repulsed. Fruitless attacks were made against Preskofel, these being particularly desperate. Our defensive at Carnia has continued rapidly and brilliantly. Besides the Voliar Pass, we occupied the Valentina Pass. The operation was difficult, as we were obliged to dislodge the enemy from every trench, and follow them from rock to rock; but the action of the Alpine troops was decisive. Our heavy artillery opened fire against the fortress of Malborghetto. The hig; part of the fortress was set afire, causing the explosion of the ammunition stores. [The Tonale Pass is on the south-west frontier of The Tyrol, to the north-west of Trent. Malborghetto is across the frontier north of Udine, in the valley of the Upper Isonzo.] June 15. The Italians have occupied Duino. BERNE, June 15. The Austrian losses at the Pleikorel Pass were 400 killed, 600 wounded. Each side holds one end of the pass, and bayonet fio-htin" continues over dead bodies, ° PARIS, June 14. The Echo de Paris says that, with the capture oi Plava, the investment of Gorizia is almost completed. INTERNMENT OF THE BA YE UN. ROME, June 14. Germany has protested to Italy against the confiscation of the steamer Bayern, which had war munitions on hoard, on the ground that Germany has not declared war on Italy. Signor Sonnino maintains Italy s Tigli to confiscate the vessel, promising to refund the value of the cargo if Germany does not declare war. AUSTRIAN AIRSHIP WRECKED. - GENEVA, June 14. An Austrian airship, returning to Trent after reconnoitring the frontier, was caught in a storm, dashed against the mountain crags, and wrecked. HEAVY AUSTRIAN LOSSES. OPERATIONS IN VOLAIA MOUNTAINS. ROME, June 15. Official : We continued successfully to bombard Marlborghetto (in the Upper Isonzo Valley), exploding a fort. Details of our operations at Volaia Mountain on June 11 show that the enemy were strongly entrenched in the rocks, and our Alpini drove them out after determined resistance, capturing arms, ammunition, and many prisoners. The enemy’s losses at Plava were very heavy. The heat in the last few days has been exceptional. [Plava is in Northern Albania, near the Montenegrin frontier, where the Serbians are operating.] The Italians in many districts are operating amid snow-covered mountains, 7000 ft high. Official : The Austrians left in the districts we occupy include Landsturmers, gendarmes, and forest guards, who are disguised but armed, and they pick off isolated officers and soldiers, and even fire on doctors tending the wounded. A fourth Austrian hydroplane has been captured. It dropped into the sea, after flying over Venice. A fierce battle is in progress along a 10-mile front from Ronzino to Gargaro, northward of Gorizia. The Italian artillery is pounding the Austrian fortifications, especially in the vicinity of Tolmino. The Italians have occupied several heights dominating Gorizia. AN OLD RUSE SUCCEEDS. PARIS, June 15. At Presentizich ('■)' a detachment of Alpine Chasseurs ascended a peak in the Roveredo district 3000 ft high, the summit of which had been strongly fortified, at great cost. Their Italian officer pretended to have a battalion with him, and the Austrian garrison surrendered without firing a shot. Telegrams from Basle state that the Germans have sent seven divisions of troops in the direction of the Tyrol. AUSTRIAN REINFORCEMENTS. ROME, June 16. Considerable Austrian forces have been withdrawn from Serbia and transferred to the Italian front. German guns are mounted on all positions commanding the Trent, where the Austrians are preparing a big resistance as the result of German advice. LONDON, Juno 15. Austrians stationed at Serajevo have been despatched to the Fiume frontier to

PROGRESS ON THE ISONZO

replace Germans', the idea being that the Germans may fight Serbia and avoid direct embroilment with Italy. GENERAL NEWS. GENEVA, June 16. The Austrians are using dynamite to precipitate avalanches in the way of the advancing Bersaglieri. The Italians at Montfalcone secured two light cruisers which were nearing completion, also a liner. LONDON, June 15. The first political act of vhe Italian Government in the newly-occupied territory of South Trentino is the payment of a subsidy to the families of Austrian soldiers equivalent to the Austrian allowance. SYDNEY, June 16. The Governor of New South Wales (Sir Gerald Strickland) and the Premier (Mr Holman), as representatives of the Allies, were amongst the guests at a banquet in celebration of the Italian Constitution. The keynote of the speeches was mutual congratulation on Italy’s entry into the war, and hopes for her recovery of her lost province*. IN THE CARNIC ALPS. AUSTRIAN ATTACK REPULSED. ROME, June 16. Official : The enemy made repeated attempts to break through the Sessis Pass, in the Carnic Alps, but were repulsed and pursued with the bayonet. Investigations confirm the suspicion that the enemy are using explosive bullets. The Austrian plan of campaign is now becoming clearer. They have prepared for a desperate defence of Gorizia and Tolmino, believing it impossible for the Italians to continue their march on Trieste while their left flank is threatened. The Austrians are everywhere on the defensive, except in the Carnic zone, where their best troops have been centred for a violent offensive along the lines of an invasion of the valleys leading to Venice, and thus force the Italians to retreat in order to defend their own territory. The Austrians are defending Gorizia from the heights of Podogra, west of the town, 'where miles of front art?' covered with invisible trenches protected with steel plates and connected by several chains of underground tunnels, whence the troops fight under complete cover, supported by heavy artillery hidden in grottos excavated in .the hills. Fierce fighting is proceeding from the Inferno Valley to Malborghetto (in the Carnic Alps), at a height of 700 ft. So far all the Austrian attacks have been repulsed. A battle which had been raging for several clays at the foot of the east Treno Glaciers ended in an Austrian rout. Though fierce and picturesque, the alpine en S a S emen fs do not possess any great military importance. AUSTRIAN OFFENSIVE IMPRACTICABLE. LONDON, June 16. A Milan message states that an Austrian offensive, long predicted in the ©vent of an Austro-Italian war, is now impracticable. Despite the Austrians’ favourable geographical position, they are upon the defensive, collecting all available troops for the protection of their ports and the entrenchment of camps. The Italians’ first task is to capture dominating positions, and the opening phase of the Italian advance has developed most fortunately. Italy now •holds the most important Alpine passes in the Trentino, Cacadore, and Friuli districts, and is breaking the Austrian resistance at some points.

June 17. Mr Donohoe, correspondent of the Daily Chronicle, cabling from Rome, states that the Austrians attacked the Italian positions at Sessis Pass at dawn. They advanced in massed formation, but few lived to reach the Italian trenches. The Austrian artillery was unable to co-operate, owing to the un= favourable nature of the ground. Fearing to decimate their own ranks, their infantry reserved their lire, trusting to the bayonet, but the Italian /ire swept the open ground and the Austrians fell in heaps. The first and second attacks withered away, and the third also failed.

ENGAGEMENTS ALL FAVOURABLE. ROME, June 17. Official: Combats favourable to us have taken place along the whole frontier, notably in Carnia, and on the Isonzo. The Alpini at Montenero charged and expelled the Austrian s from positions nurtliward of the principal summit. They took 315 prisoners (including 14 officers).