The Oskaloosa herald., 1917-11-22
Attempts to Force Crossings of
f Piave frustrated by
Couhter-Attack.
HEAVY LOSSES FOR KAISER
Austro- Germans Hemmed in at the
zenson Loop Fail In Attempt to
Break Outline on Asiaeo
Plateau Holding.


by the enemy to force crossings of the
Piaye river were frustrated by the
italian troops, and In a brilliant coun-
ter-attack the Austro-G German forces,
which previously had gained footing
on the west bank, in the Fagare zone,
were completely swept out of this area,
the war Office announced.
The ,Austro-German forces, hemmed
In at the Zenson loop, tried to break
out, but were repulsed with heavy loss
es and ultimately driven further back
into the loop.
The italian line on the Asiago PIN
teau Is withstanding extremely violent
attacks, the defensive units displaying
brilliancy In their resistance and In
successful counterattacks. s..
Four Attacks Broken.
The text Of the official statement
reads: .... ..-
"on the Asiago plateau on the night
OF November 1917 the enemy, insisting
upon his attempt to force our line
from Monte Sesemol to Monte Castle
gomberto, attacked in the direction Of
Monte Como, east Of Gallo. The at
tack, repeated four times with ex-
IRENE violence, was completely broken
up by the gallant Liguira brigade.
More to the north, In the direction Of
Casera and Meletta d'Avanti, our par
ties of the Perugia brigade retook with
great coufage some advance elements
lost during the previous days, captur-
Ing about 100 prisoners.
Between the Brenta and the Piaye
the enemy pressure has been increas-
Ing since the evening of the 10th. The
masses of the enemy obliged our troops
ut some points not to prolong their de-
Tense at some advanced positions,
which have been abandoned In an or
DERBY withdrawal after fierce resist
ance and brilliant counter-attacks.
North of Quero the Como brigade has
again shown Its valor.
ID Yesterday along the Piave parties
OF the Caserta brigade, together with
elements of other units, In an irresist-
IDLE advance completely swept the
enemy from the Fagare zone. The
Spinerole brigade repulsed with great
loss for the enemy an attack ATTEMPTED
by the troops closed In at BENSON, drfy-
Ing them further back into the loop of
the river. Attempts to cross the river
carried out at other places were
promptly frustrated.
On the right bank of the Pave dur.
ing November 16 and II a total of 81
officers, 1912 men and 81 machine guns
were captured"
Berlin Denies Losses.
Berlin, Nov. 19.-The Italians ore
communicating heavily In the hill
district northeast Of Asiago. Army
headquarters announced that the enc
my attacks, launched against heights
Which had been taken from the Ital-
ians, were fruitless and costly. to the
attacking forces.
Hand-to-Hand Fighting.
Italian Headquarters In Northern
Italy, Nov. 19.-On the northern line
and along the Piaye river above Zen
son the fighting has assumed extreme
severity The enemy, whose forces ex-
coed the Italians on the northern line.
now has thrown fresh divisions into
the battle In a supreme effort to break
through. The Italians are resisting
with desperate tenacity, using hand
grenades to meet the Infantry PUSHES
following artillery and machine gun
hre. 1t is one of the bitterest strug-
giles of the war, and the losses are
heavy. ,a-.Aa. @.
On the Pave river the enemy got
across at two points, Follina and Ga
care, q few miles above BENSON, but
those at FollinaN were annihilated by
artillery and hand-to-hand fighting,
while those at Fagare were driven
back to the western bank with heavy
losses and many captured.
italians Aided by Warships.
The italian lines are holding In the
main, but the fury of the enemy as
sauits renews the gravity Of the situ-
'ntion. t...-.,
The italian navy is doing splendid
service, seconding the army In the
bombardment Of enemy positions to-
ward the, mouth of the Piave river.
The navy, which held the coast front
from the mouth OF Isonzo to Grade,
saved all of its material and cannon
and these no ware being trained on
the enemy at the mouth of the river
and for some distance up, where the
water is deep and wide.
Nea- Revedo!i, an Italian marine
battalion repulsed on Saturday rush
made by an Austrian storming party
and italian torpedo-boats OF Porto Di
Cortelleozzo drove on an attack of ar
Austrian torpedo fleet.