AUSTRIAN DEFEAT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume V, Issue 1360, 22 June 1918, Page 9

AUSTRIAN DEFEAT.

OFFENSIVE COLLAPSING. INITIATIVE NOW WITH ITALIANS. ENEMY LOSING HEAVILY. (A. & N.Z. & Reutcr) LONDON*, June 20. A British-Italian official report states: —The situation on the British front is unchanged. The total of our prisoners during the battle on June 15 and June 10 is 1!) officers and 1000 others.

Our air craft were active on June 19. They destroyed 10 enemy machines and dropped many bombs on various targets. There was heavy rain this morning. ENEMY DRIVEN BACK. (A. & N.Z.) LONDON',. June 20. An Italian official rebort, issued this evening, states: —The battle is continuing bitterly and uninterruptedly fPom Montello to the sea. We drove back the enemy on the evening of June 19 to the north-west of the Monte Belluna railway, compelling him to withdraw on the whole front. We attacked somewhat towards the north-eastern salient at Montello, taking 1220 prisoners and capturing numerous machine-guns. The struggle along the Piave fluctuates fiercely. The defence is being sustained by our troops with great stubbornness and bravery.

The enemy, on the. afternoon of June 19, attacked with fresh, numerous troops, and gained at the outset some ground fronting- Zenson, but our supports, arriving immediately, forced him to retire. Our counter-attacks succeeded in greatly reducing the fighting sector westward of San Dona di Piave, where we took 513 prisoners. The Czecho-Slovak units have valiantly given their first tribute in blood for the principles of the freedom for which they are fighting on our side. From dawn to sunset Allied airmen and seaplanes participated effectively in the battle. Fourteen enemy machines were brought down.

French units carried out a successful surprise operation on the Asiago Plateau and carried enemy positions. We completed their gams, capturing Monte Costa and Lunga. Enemy attacks on Monte Corno were repulsed.

COLLAPSE OF OFFENSIVE. ("The Times") LONDON, June 20. Mr Ward Price states that the Czeeho-Slovak troops fighting with the Italians creditably participated in the attacks which reduced the San Dona salient, north-eastward of Venice, where 500 prisoners were taken. The Austrians have now used five divisions on the west bank of the Piave. The plainest sign (rf the collapse of the Austrian offensive is that the Italians have now gained the initiative, and are attacking to regain the lost fragments of their line. FINDING EXCUSES. (A. & AMSTERDAM, June 20. German comment on the Austrian offensive amounts to an admission of failure. Some excuse the failure by saying that the Italians discovered the exact time and place of the offensive. Most of the newspapers try to belittle the Austrian defeat, saying that the attack was merely a push.