Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-08
Stories of the War
Strategy In Taking Mt. Loroen.

Details which have now reached Vii enna in elaboration of the official re- ports of the taking of Mt. LovCen in- dicatc that the AustrO- Hungarian troops displayed exceptional daring and perseverance in stOrming the Montenegrin stronghold.
 Strategy played an initial part in the action. While the troops picked for the main operation were assemb- ling near Cattaro, and Austrian war ships were concentrating along the Adriatic coast at a favorable point for bCmbardment, extensive demOnstra- tiOns were made by the AuStrO-Hun- garians to give the Montenegrins the impression that the offensive was coming from another direction.
 On January Sth, however the Aus trO- Hungarians began their artillery preliminarieS against the LOvCen from the direction of CattarO and at noon on that day the first infantry units advanced against the Montegrin stronghold. Under the cover of the artillery fire from behind them, and the enfIlade fire spread over the Low cen by the Austrian warship ps, the men reached the foot of the rock masses which had been held to be impreg- nable.
 From the lowlands of Cattaro, the | Lovcen rises almost pcrpendicularly to | a height of over 5000 feet. To its | summit leads a fairly good serpentine | road of twenty turns, and an old and | very dangerous burro trail. These were | the only means of approach for the i attacking army. About eight o'clock | that night, the most advanced sllirm- | ishing lines had ascended to about 1 1,500 feet.
 A terrible night was spent by the | troops. During the day a cold rain had fallen. About sunset this turned into snow. A high wind blew from the North, against which the bare rock walls of the LOvcen offered no Shel- ter. After such a night the Austro- | Hungarian troops resumed the attack about nine o'clock next morning. Again i the artillery and ships showered av- 1 alanChes of shells upon the several 1 LOycen Crests, but the snowfall made
 it impossible for the artillery to SUD- port it's infantry attacking the Mon- l tenegrin trenches without sending its
 observers into the infantry lines. Un-
 der sheltering rock-ledges, the genera
 assault came to a halt until the artil-
 lery could resume its work.
 On the tenth of January, about II a
 m., the Austro- Hungarian infantry
 gained the lower summit of the Lov.
 cen. violent rife fight ensued be. tween the attacking parties on the
 edge of the little plateau, and tho
 MOntenegrins in their trenches. Int
 AustrO- Hungarian artillery and tht , naval units had been obliged to cease fire, owing to the close quarters a
 which fighting was going on.
 During the day, the Austro- -Hungar ian infantry drove the Montenegrini
 from a higher ridge near the actua
 Lovcen summit, an elevation rising from the little plateau forming tn , crest of the rock masses known b. that name. Another elevation, callet
 the Solar, was also taken. Night in terrupted the fight. The Austro- Hun
 garians were once more obliged to bi
 VOUac in the open, with snow stil 7 falling and an icy wind sweeping owe , the plateau.
 Next morning embittered fghtini
 developed near the village of KuB
 barring one of the approaches to tn
 Lovcen summit. With several well
 sustained rushes, the village wa T taken, however. The weather clear }, ing, the Austrlans were able to resum f the bombardment of the Montenegro !. | trenches. A very intense cannonad | developed, and under 1t the Austro | Hungarian troops, in a frontal attaC
 and an assault against the Monten n egrin's left flank, carried the sunni t In precipitate flight the Montenegrin = made off, leaving behind them the d artillery. At eight o'clock that eve - ming the Lovcen was in the undispute
 possession of the Austrians. The la.
 assaults were made by Austrian trooI
 from Egerland and Mohammedan @ who had volunteered for the work. d all the Austro- -Hungarians lost IL - men dead, very small number whe S the nature of the position and chara( a ter of fighting is considered.
 "a With the fall of the Lovcen, tf
 Montenegrins were obliged to eva' .- uate Cettinje, which in an air line
 JQnlY about six miles distant,