The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-10-26


was officially announced today, ow-
ing to the continued pressure of the
Austro-German forces.
Berlin. Oct. 25. via London
Heavy captures in prisoners and
booty have been made by the AustrO-
German forces attacking the Italians
on the Isonzo front, army headquart-
ers announced today. The prisoners
include divisional and brigade stai
The total prisoners taken exceeds
,000.
The fighting on this front is con-
tinuing.
In the first rush OF the attacking
forces. adds the statement, strong
Italian positions barring the way to
the Flitsch basin and Holmino were
over run. Steep mountain slopes
were scaled and an Italian point of
support which crowned the heights
was stormed.
The Italians fought desperately
and hard battling was necessary to
break their resistance at many
points.
The supplementary statement from
general headquarters says:
''On the AustroItalian front an ex-
tension of our break through the
enemy's lines near Fitch and Toll
mino brought us further successes.
The Number ,0f persons ahd the
amount of booty are increasing"
nof To inn o1x 10 rtaC Ca
Of their bridgehead of Santa Maria
and Santa Lucia, the Austro-German
forces. which yesterday began an Of
fensive on the Isonzo front, brought
the battle on to the slopes of the
right (west) bank of the Isonzo, says
today's official statement.
The Austro-German offensive
struck at two points on the Isonzo
line. near Flitsch and in the region
of Tolmino The attack apparently
is being developed west OF the river
In the Tolmino area. Santa Lucia is
on the west bank, three miles below
Tolmino, which is east of the river.
The enemy broke through the
Italian advanced lines on the east
bank OF the Isonzo. Powerful Aus
tro-German attacks also were made
on the Bainsizza Plateau and on the
west slopes of Monte San Gabrielle
but these were checked by the Ital
ians, who took few hundred prison
ers.
Paris. Oct. 26.--Gen Petain's
stroke on the Aisne is proving to
have been the greatest defeat exper
fenced by Germany during 1917. The
Germans are making strenuous eff
forts to retreat across the marshy
valley of the Aillette and the Aisne
and Disc canals.
The prisoners thus far checked up
aggregate more than 5000 and from
reports obtained from them the Gei
man losses total three divisions,
practically $4,000 men.
The new French line has been
pushed forward since Sunday to a |
depth of three and one-tenth miles
over front seven miles in extent
The French have captured the vii
lagos of Pinon. Paraguay and Fillain.
French troops began another big |
drive today The attack was made |
at 5.55 this morning. Field Marshal
Haig reported, and satisfactory pro-
gress was made. The object OF t.
drive is to cut the line of communi- |
cation with Rouleres and the sub |
marines bases at Zebrugge and Os- |
tend.
Paris, Oct. 25--The French forces |
on the Aisne today continued their |
successful advance, capturing several |
villages as we'll as 1000 |
additional prisoners. Since the be-
ginning of the present operations,
says the announcement made tonight |
by the War Cfices, more than $4,000 /
Germans have been captured as we'll
as 120 big guns and many guns af
smaller caliber.
twenty-five German airplanes were
brought down by French pilots last
night or compelled to land in a dam
aged condition.
Our troops carried out this morn
ing general advance beyond the
positions reached last evening, ex-
tending to the Oise-Aisne Canal. The
village and forest of Pinon are in
our hands, as well as the village of
Pargny-Filain. South of Filain we
the farms of St Martin and