ITALY

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144711, 21 June 1915, Page 3

ITALY

ALPINE FIGHTING. NIGHT ATTACKS BY: ITALIANS, HO UT OP THE AHSTETANS. (Received Juno 21, 8.45 a.m.) lUS.AIE, June 20. Details of tlio attack of the Alpini on the northern slopes of Monte Nero, where the Austrians were being constantly reinforced, show that the ground was so difficult that the Italian staff decided to advance at night in absolute silence. It was hoped by climbing almost perpendicular rocks to attack the enemy on two sides. The Aipini wore armed with" rilles and bombs. Some took olf their hoots and wrapped their feet in rags, in order to climb up she crags quietly. By dawn a column was in operation on the \ rata counter-scrap and another north-west of Ah.nto I’otoec. .Meanwhile the Alpini were within two metres (six feet) of tile enemy before they were detected. They leaped into the trenches and there was a nirious hand-to-hand fight with the bayonet and rifle butts. The Italians then look the second line of trenches. The incident of tho Hungarian attack followed and was - repulsed as cabled. Simultaneously two Italian columns made a night attack on the Monte Kozlink front. They got within 200 yards of tho Austrian trenches before they were detected. The Alpini, without' a moment’s hesitation, dashed in, forced the astonished Austrians to_ retreat, and pursued them with firestones and hand grenades, while a second column struck tho. Austrian rear and cut olf their retreat. Six hundred Austrians wore taken prisoner and 300 left tho held wounded. Tho Italian losses wore slight. The delta of the Isonzo is impracticable for worships owing to the shallowness of the water. Tho naval gunners silenced the batteries at Dnino bv means of floating batteries similar to those used in Alexandria in ISB2. FIGHTING ON THE ISONZO. ATTACK ON FORTIFIED TOWN. ROME. Juno 19. Official.—Our artillery continued to bombard Maiborghctto, which attempted to reply, but was silenced. On the night of the 17th our airships bombarded positions at Moutessuuto and trenches near Gradisca, partially destroying the railway station at Ovchiadraga, on tho Gorizia-Dornbcrg lino. Naval official.—Tito Austrian fleet bombarded tiro lighthouse at tho mouth of tho Tagliamonto. Oar destroyer flotilla repulsed tho attack, afterwards bombarding Tannario and tho Austrian lighthouse at Salvare. An. Austrian destroyer bombarded Monopoli and unsuccessfully attempted to ignite a_ naptha depot. AVc bombarded a munitions and armament factory near Trieste. An enemy destroyer torpedoed tho small steamer Maria Grnzccas. Tho crow was landed. With a garrison averaging 30,000 and powerful natural and artificial defences multiplying tho possibilities of resistance, Tolmino is gradually becoming for Italy what Przemysl has been for Russia. " Tolmino being tho key of tho Isonzo Valley, its early capture, in view of ensuring tho safety of Friuli, is iudimensiblo. Tho Austrians, being reinforced onco more, attacked without result tho Italians encamped at Brentonico, on the slope of tho Altissirao mountain, at Sorravallo, in the Langarino Valley, and also in tho Arsa Valley. Official. —Austrian scouts and destroyers bombarded the completely undefended towns of Perario and Rioini, damaging only a fow houses. Three civilians at Rioini were slightly wounded. The Hungarian battalion, which was .annihilated, climbed tho Viata Mountain, hoping to outflank tho Italian .position. Tho Alpini, creeping through tho undergrowth, withheld their fire until tho enemy were close to them, and then poured in a rain of bullets and sprang forward with their bayonets. Tho enemy wore terrified and confused, ami when they tried to escape they found the Alpini on every side. The entire battalion was killed or made prisoner. •IMPORTANT SUCCESS. ITALIANS FORCE A PASSAGE ACROSS THE RIVER ISONZA. (Received Juno 21, 10.15 a~m.) ROME, Juno 20. Official.—The following aro tho details of the battlo for a height on the left bank of tho Isonzo commanding Plava, which is at the bottom of tho Pass of Inshut, which has stoop, wooded slopes with a swift and deep river between; —Our troops by great and courageous efforts throw pontoons across and mado night attacks at dawn on tho 10th in face of terrible difficulties, including networks of stout barbed-wire reinforced with iron bars and numerous hidden guns. The Italians, alter repeated assaults with the cold steel, debouched in the evening on tho border of tho first position. All counter-attacks wore driven back, and wo carried tho heights on tho 17th, hut tho enemy concentrated violent artillery and machine-gun firo and repeatedly sent fresh troops. These were decimated and finally ropulsod by the bayonet. Our losses were serious, but tho results wore important. EMPLOY US AS YOUR SHIPPING AND CUSTOMS CLERK. 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