HARD FIGHTING.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume V, Issue 1358, 20 June 1918, Page 5

HARD FIGHTING.

ENEMY ONMONTELLO. STRUGGLE ON THE PIAVE. NO BIG ADVANCE. (Reuter) LONDON, June 18. The Austrians have gained the Montello heights. POSITION NOT CRITICAL. (A. ft N.Z.) ROME, Juno 18. The present position on the Italian front is as follows:—The Austrians reached the right bank of the Piave from the Concgliano railway to the Zenson bend. Advancing about a mile, they reached the second Italian line on a three-mile front between Zenson and the sea. They have thrown 14 bridges across the Piave and secured two-thirds of the rising ground near Montello, otherwise they have made no progress since Monday. The Austrians are apparently trying to link up their two bridgeheads on the Piave front. Already they have used up 33 divisions in their attack, including a division of dismounted cavalry. The enemy's positions on the Piave bridge are being incessantly bombed and machine-gunned by our aeroplanes. The Italian Command feels satisfied as regards the present position, except at Montello. Plenty of reserves are available. Danger certainly exists regarding Montello, but Hie position is not extremely serious. The Austrians have advanced four miles, very slowly, but the British front is almost intact. The Austrian losses have been heavy, and they could have progressed farther if they had seriously desired. Their lack of persistence was possibly due to disaffection. There is certainly some demoralisation among their troops. A BIG TASK. (Router) LONDON, June 18. Reuter's correspondent at Italian Headquarters points out thai, unless the Austrians can establish bridgeheads where they crossed the Piave, and get guns over, especially on the small section at Montello which they hold, probably the only result of their crossing will be that they will become prisoners. ASSAULTS ON GRAPPA.

(lleutcr) ROME, June 18. The din of battle is now loudest on the Piave, having lessened on the mountain front, where the enemy losses have been stupendous. Along the 25-mile front between Val d'Assa and Mont Tomba the Austrians lost fully a third of their storm troops, which were left strewn on the ground before the withdrawal to the original enemy entrenchments. No fewer than nine desperate assaults on Mount Grappa, each made with fresh reserves, failed before the enemy desisted. The craggy slopes are black with corpses and littered with broken machine-guns and rifles.