Evening star., 1917-12-08
ITALIANS FORCED /.
BACK THREE MILES
Recent Teutonic Gains Have
Not Broken Gen. Diaz's i
Lines, However. sa
GAINS MADE AT GREAT COST

The Italian northern front between
Asiago and the Brenta is being hard
pressed by an Austro-German army un-
der Field Marshal Conrad Won Hoetzen-
dorf.
In four days the invading Austro-Ger-
mans have forced the Italians back an
average Of three miles on a ten-mile
front. But the advance was gained ct
a great cost in casualties, as the Italians
fought desperately every foot Of the
way and at some points preferred to
die rather than to surrender or retire.
Although superiority in numbers ana
artillery has forced the Italians to re-
broken. and there is yet ten miles of
mountain country to fight through be-
fore the foothills around Bassano are
reached. The operation has straight
ened out the Italian line. which now
runs from Monte Caberlaba, just south
of Asiago. across the Ronchi and Fren-.
celia valleys to Foza and east to the
Brenta. The Italians are holding the
invaders near the Brenta, and the latest
Austro-German gains have been made
only around Asiago.
Hand-to-Hand Fighting.
VIENNA, Friday, December z, via
London, December s British Admiralty
per wireless Press).- ustro-Hungarian
general headquarters today issued the
following statement:
1.-THE troops of Field Marshal Conrad
Won Hoetzendorf have won further suc-
cesses in their attacks. After hand-to-
hand engagements lasting several
hours, Austrian rife regiments broke
the enemy's resistance on Monte Sise-
mol With the fall of this bulwark,
(which had been stubbornly defended
for weeks, the Italians lost more than
1000 prisoners and large quantities of
war material of every description. The
total number of prisoners captured
since Tuesday east Of Asiago has in
creased to $4,000; the booty and guns
also have increased"
Smashes Through Balloon. {
By the Associated Press.
ITALIAN HEADQUARTERS. Northl
lotte of the Italian Aviation Corps has
executed one OF the most daring ex-
ploints of the war. telescoping an Aus
trian balloon which was observing
through the gas bag with parts of the
envelope about his propeller and win
ming a government bonus of 5000 lire
| for his exploit
looms have been numerous and trouble-
some all along the line. and the authori.
ties have offered 1000 lire for every one
destroyed. Ancillotte had brought down
two within the last few days and yes
terday went after his third. He rose
| from Maestro, a suburb of Venice. in an
Ieighty-horsepower machine, and ascend
ed high above the drachen. Then he be-
gan a series of glides close above the
| balloon, to drop incendiary bombs as he
passed On one of his glides the aviator
| miscalculated, and instead of passing
over the drachen struck II squarely
amidships. There was a terrific rip and
tear as the airp1ane shot through the en-
yelope and emerged with its tatters on
his propeller. The great volume of gas
released took fire from the engine OF
the airpIane and the drachen was burned
in midair, together with its occupant.
Lieut.. Ancillotto was scorched, but un-
injured. He guided his machine back
to the aviation field, where he was re-
ceived with rapture The gray car was
burned black as charcoal, but otherwise
| it was uninjured.