Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 June 1918 — ITALIANS DRIVE AUSTRIANS BACK IN GREAT BATTLE [ARTICLE]

ITALIANS DRIVE AUSTRIANS BACK IN GREAT BATTLE

Fighting Continues From Montello to the Sea —Allies Win Costalunga. LATINS TAKE 1,200 CAPTIVES Enemy Makes Fresh Attack at Zenson, but Is Forced Back by Diaz’s Reserves—Capo SUe Reported in Italian Hands. Rome, June 21. —From the Montello to-the sea the battle of the Plave river is continuing bitterly and without pause, the Italian war office announced. The Italians forced the Invaders to withdraw their whole front north of the Montebelluno railway. More than 1,200 Austrian prisoners Avere taken and numerous machine guns were captured. Austrians Driven Back. The Austrians launched a fresh attack on the Plave with strong forces and succeeded at first in gaining some ground in fropt of Zenson. Later Italian reserves were brought up and forced the Austrians to retire. French forces on the Aslago plateau stormed the Austrian positions at Bertlgo and Pennar. Italian troops succeeded in capturing Costalunga, the statement adds. Vienna Claims Gains. The Vienna report contends that the Austrians have held all the ground they have gained on the west bank of the Plave and also have driven back the Italians south of the Treviso railway. The Italians, Vienna says, attacked again southeast of Asiago on the mountain front, but met with the same poor success as on previous occasions. The battle in the Montello region increased in violence, equaling that of the great battles on the Carso front. Text of Rome Statement. The Jext of the Italian war office announcement reads: “From the Montello to the sea the battle is continuing bitterly without pause. We drove the enemy back to the north of the Montebelluno railway a*nd made him withdraw liis whole* front of attack somewhat toward the northeastern salient of the Montello, capturing 1,221> prisoners and taking numerous -machine guns. “Along the Piave river the struggle Is fluctuating fiercely on the front lines. It is being carried out by the enemy with decision and hardiness and sustained by our troops witli great stubbornness arid bravery. Force Foe to Retreat. "The enemy, launching to the attack fresh and numerous troops, succeeded at first in gaining some ground in front of Zenson, but he was promptly checked and afterward was forced to retire by our reserves, which immediately arrived. “Our troops with energetic counterattacks succeeded in greatly reducing the fighting sector to the west of San Dona di Piave. Prisoners to the number of 513 remained in our hands. Tribute to Slovaks. “Czechoslovak units have valiantly given their first tribute of blood to the generous principles of freedom and independence for which they are fighting on our side. The Twenty-fifth infantry division, in the course of five days of glorious fighting without pause, the Bisagno brigade and the Two Hundred ami Ninth and Two Hundred and Tenth regiments were able in repeated counter-attacks to bring out all of their valor. “On the Asiago plateau French units by a successful surprise’ operation carried the positions of Bertigo and Pennar, capturing 102 prisoners. “Our troops Completed the gains with the capture of Costalunga, taking another hundred prisoners. "Enemy attacks on Corno were repulsed.” Italians Win Capo Sile. London. June 21.—-News reached, London that the Italians have regained Capo Sile, the town on the lagoon to theyvest of the Piave river, near its mouth, which was captured by the Austro-Hungarians, By counter-attacking all along the Piave the Italians have gained further ground on the Montello, in the northern sector of the river front, and also have made headway southeast of thhg ridge, says the Evening Standard. The Austrians had been occupying a narrow strip along the river bank. The Italians drove in rhe Austrian line and established themselves on the bank of the Piave below Saletta (about IS miles from the Adriatic). Through (he reaching of the river here the Italians have divided the positions occupied by the Austrians. < Austrian General Heroic. Deserted by his staff on the Montello plateau, Maj. Gep. von Kronstadt of the Austrian array fought singlehanded against the Italian arditi until he was wounded seriously. The general died later in a hospital. It seems that the general and his staff became lost in the woods,of Montello and ran into a unit of arditi. When the members of the staff saw the Italian soldiers, they ran away. The general was called upon to surrender, but refused and opened fira on the arditi. In the exchange of shots he received his death wound.