ITALIAN SUCCESSES.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 July 1915, Page 6

ITALIAN SUCCESSES.

STOKMIXG A PIIKCU'ICK. \ OARIXG ALPIXF. TROOPS. One of the most daring actions of the Aiistro-rtalian war has been performed by Alpine troops on 'Monte Xero, wrote Air. .Martin Donohoe from Rome oil June 111. Although the Italians have been masters of the summit for some days the. Austrian* have remained in possession oi some precipitous spurs of the mountain to the north, and from these they have annoyed the Italians on the summit. A'l attempts to dislodge the enemy failed, owing to the inaccessibility of the natural stronghold in which they had escoe.aced themselves. A detachment of Alpini finally volunteered to drive out the Austrian*. They set out about midnight, and, avoiding the easiest approach to the summit, where previous Italian attacks had failed, turned to the precipitous face of the cliff, on which there are a few narrow tracks, known only to the chamois hunters. The Alpini. however, are all hunters, and they did not lack guides. During the night they worked their way up the sheer face of the cliff from rock to rod:, each following in his leader's footsteps, and shortly before daybreak they arrtvled at a level part of the mountain near the summit.

They stopped here until the lust man had come up from tlie perilous path 'tv;low. Then, knowing that they had the enemy before and the preeipicc behind, the brave Alpini fixed bayonets, sprang upon the remaining rocks, and fell among the Austriaus on the summit. The enemy were asleep and quite unprepared for attaeks from the side of the precipice. Before they had time to spring to arms the hilltop was in the hands of the Italians.