ITALIAN ADVANCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3251, 5 July 1916, Page 20

ITALIAN ADVANCE.

ROME, June 27. For 60 hours the Italians continuously regained ground in the Trentino. Tlie enemy’s retreat at certain points developed into a rout. North of Asiago the Austrian retirement was so precipitate that the Italian infantry lost contact with the enemy, and the Italian cavalry had a chance for the first time, and advanced through thick woods and up steep hills to engage and hold the enemy’s rearguard Everywhere the Austrians are abandoning arms, provisions, and transport. Their line of retreat is littered with dead and wounded. On the top of Mount Cenyio, reconquered yesterday, the Italians found an order to the Austrian troops ending with: “The good wines and beautiful women of Italy are waiting for us.” A communique states : - We crossed strong entrenchments at Msiassone Anghe Beni, completing the conquest of Mount Mcnerlc. Wc cleared the enemy from the southern slopes of Mount Aralta, on the Posina line. We have begun our advance up the northern side of the valley. Cavalry patrols on the Settc Coraraimi Plateau reached a point south-west of Asiago and occupied several summits to the north-east along the whole front. We found traces of the enemy’s barbarous methods. Some hundreds of naked bodies of Italian soldiers were found in the mire near Magnaboschi. AUSTRIAN OFFICIAL REPORT. VIENNA, June 28. A communique states; The shortening

of our front between the Brenta and the Adige was completed on Monday. The Italian's claims of victories are completely Untrue, as is proved by the following facts: —On the night of the 25th inst. the partial evacuation of our advanced trenches, which were in unfavourable terrain, began, after a week's preparation. The Italians, on the following forenoon, continued the bombardment of the positions we had evacuated. Only at noon Italian detachments timidly began to move towards some portions of our front, between the Asiago and the Sugana Valley. The bombardment of the evacuated trenches on the Adige sector continued for the whole day and the following night, and was proceeding at some points on Monday morning. There was no fighting on either day. We lost neither prisoners, guns, machine guns, nor other war material. The Italians are now approaching our new position, and attacked Monte Festo on Monday morning, but were repulsed with heavy losses. AUSTRIAN RESISTANCE STRENGTHENING. ITALIAN ADVANCE CONTINUES. ROME, June 28. A communique states: Between the Adige and the Brenta the enemy have readied commanding positions, and strongly organised defences largely increasing their resistance. Nevertheless, we progressed considerably during, the whole of Tuesday, and took some trenches near Malgazunga, and captured positions on Monte Gaimondo, northwards of Fusine, and Mount Caviojo, and occupied them. On the Asiago Plateau, on the southern edge-,of tiie Assa Valley, we reached the slopes of Mounts Rasta, Interrotto, and Mossiagh, which the enemy's rearguard strongly held. We carried a position on Mount- Colombara, further north, and began to approach the Calmarra Valley. We have captured in the Upper But Valley some redoubts and trenches in the neighbourhood of Freikofel. We took prisoner 363 Austrians on the Isonzo front, and two machine guns. The Austrians in two days lost half the territory they won in 45 days' bloody fighting*, involving 130.0C0 Austrian casualties. The Austrians had succeeded in penetrating all the valleys north of the Asiago tableland, and occupied dominating peaks, including Portule ridgo, 7000 ft above Vardassa. Gciseral Cadoina, by magnificent strategy and unflagging energy, prepared a trap from which the Austrians only just escaped in time. Four or five days' delay would have meant cutting off all the forces operating in the Asiago sector. The Alpini commenced our offensive on June 15. Further attacks followed until the 27th, when the Italians attacked along

the entire front. Meanwhile they held all the enemy first line approaches under heavy fire, and prevented the bringing up of reserves. The Austrians' Second and Eighth Mountain Brigades and Twenty-second Landwehr Division were almost annihilated. Henceforth retreat was inevitable. During Sunday contact was lost with the enemy at many points, so great was the Austrian haste to get away.

Signor Doselli, in a. statement in the Chamber of Deputies, emphasised the close colidarity of the Allies and their co-ordi-nation in military operations. The statement has met with an excellent reception throughout the country.

RAPIDITY OF AUSTRIAN RETREAT LONDON. June 28.

The Daily Telegraph's Rome correspondent states that the Austrians deserve credit in one respect—i.e., rapidity of retreat. The Austrian offensive collapsed suddenly. The Austrians are leaving every village in ashes, and every cottage is a smoking ruin. King Victor Emmanuel was one of the first to set foot in the reconquered town of Asiago. Pointing his sword to the yet unconquered heights, he addressed each passing battalion : " Go, and avenge your countrymen." AUSTRIAN ATTACK REPELLED. ROME, June ,29. A communique states : The Austrians made a violent attack at Zugna with a view to delaying our advance, but they were repulsed with heavy loss. Our Posina advance is being delayed owing to the heavy ground and the fire of the enemy batteries. We ultimately dislodged the Austrians from the rocks, and reached Griso. We carried strong positions on Mount Majo. We penetrated the Carso trenches. OFFICIAL REPORT. ROME, June 30. A communique states: Our progress on Wednesday, between the Adige and the Brenta, continued, despite the growing resistance of the.enemy from barrier positions prepared beforehand. The Alpini in Valiarsa captured, after a desperate fight, Mattasone, while the infantry stormed the ridge of Mont Wrappola.. The enemy in the evening made a violent attack in the Zugna zone, which was repulsed with very heavy lor-ses. The difficulties of the terrain on the Posina front, and the enemy's heavy artillery, hampered car offensive; nevertheless we carried the strong position of Cimabetta, on the slopes of Monte Majo, and occupied Pedescala, in the Astico Valley. The enemy has strongly reorganised at the northern end of the Assa Valley, and the heights on the left side of Galmarara Valley to Colagnella, The rugged, woody nature of the terrain is favourable to machine guns, while from positions farther in the rear enemy heavy guns sweep the approaches. We on Wednesday completed the occupation of the southern edge of Assa Valley and captured strong entrenchments around the summits of Zebio and Zingarella. Our infantry at Carso by brilliant attacks captured several trenches. AUSTRIAN OFFICIAL REPORT. VIENNA, June 29. A communique states : The Italians, after % actively bombarding the Avhole of the Dcberdo plateau with numerous heavy batteries with the greatest violence, attacked, and very heavy fighting developed, especially near San Martino. The battles continue. All the enemy attacks so far have been repulsed. The Italians also attacked at the Gorizia bridgehead and elsewhere. AUSTRIAN WANTON DESTRUCTION. LONDON, June .29. The Daily Telegraph's correspondent with the Italians describes the Austrian efforts as wholesale vandalism. An earthquake or a cyclone could not have effected worse devastation. The Italians found an immense quantity of furniture piled at Asiago in readiness for a bonfire, but the Austrians were so hard pressed that they had not time to set a light to it. Hundreds of Austrian wounded were found dying of thirst in caves in the hillsides. A colonel, dressed in his parade uniform, covered with decorations, in readiness for a triumphant entry into Vicenza, was reverently buried. Another Austrian officer was found with a revolver bullet in his forehead, having preferred suicide to the disgrace of defeat. The hurriedness of the retreat permitted only a few burials, but the line of retreat is marked by crosses on the graves. The Italians found wonderful collections of plunder from Asiago, Campo Rovere, and Roana.