The sun., 1917-05-20
ITALIAN DRIVE
WINSYITALHILL
Brilliant Victory May Bend
Austrian Flank and
Force Retreat.
BATTLE OF AMBCSHES
Machine Guns Hid in Rocky
Nests and Many Fortified
tiOns Overcome.
BATTLE OF AMBUSHES

RoaE. May ls.-Italian infantry have
achieved the most brilliant single sue
cess Of their big offensive on the Julian
front. BY a desperate assault. which
began yesterday morning and did not
end until evening. the Italians stormed
and held the heights Of Hill S52. the
dominating peak on Monte vodice.
The full Importance of this victory
may be seen from the ofiicial announce
ment of the War Office that Hill s52 is
the key to the Austrian position north
of Monte Santo. along the Isonzo. IL
the peak can be held and the advantage
developed the Austrian flank may be
bent back and a retirement forced.
The victorious fight for Monte vodics
will stand out in Italian military history.
The capture Of its topmost peak was the
elimination of a struggle Of intense
fierceness, in which Italian dash was
pitted against Austrian stubbornness in
defence. 1t began on Monday. but yes
terday's fight completed It.
Hitter Fight for Victory.
Bravery and endurance almost super
human we're needed to accomplish what
the Italian infantry accomplished. Monte
Vodice was pitted with Austrian. ma
chine gun nests in cavefns blasted from
solid rock, reinforced with steel and con-
crete. Every step OF the way-was most
bitterly contested by foe hiding be-
hind rocks. trees and In every kind OF
natural as well as artificial fortress
advancing from rock to rock. ex-
pelling the enemy from trench and
cavern. destroying his machine guns
the gray green Italian lines crept up the
slope the War Oface says though ham
I mered by an awful fire from Austrian
guns and mortars of all callbres. But
! the Italians reached the summit and took
in the operation $40 prisoners, of whom
| 16 were officers. making their total for
, the offensive 6.Sll
| At the same time that the War Office
announces this notable success the Aus
I trian War Office finally admits the loss
OF Monte Kuk. which the Italians call
I Monte Cucco. another of the important
objectives in Gen. Cadorna's plan of at
! tack. The Italian leader reported he had
/ stormed the peak early in the week. The
AustriaDs say they have taken mose
than 1000 prisoners thus far. The Of
; flcial statements follow:
! Italian: Surprise attacks during tn
night on our positions on the heights o.
Hill 5s2, on Monte Vodice, were rcpulsed
Hidden Foe Wages Battle.
Yesterday morning our troops opened
a vigorous attack with the object o
capturing the heights of Hill 6oo. oi
Monte vodice. the key to the enemy
defences north of Monte Santo. Tn
stubborn resistance OF the enemy, sup
ported by numerous batteries Of al! cal!
bres. which kept UP continuous fire from
the rear, rendered the action long AM
severe. Advancing from rock 10 rock
expelling the enemy from trench an
cavern. destroying his machine guns. ou
infantry by evening succeeded In reach
ing the crest OF the long conteste
heights and maintaining the positio
against the concentrated fire OF enem
batteries. We captured 379 men, in
cluding l6 officers.
with the capture of the massif bs
tween Monte Cucco and Monte Nodic
the task of diverting the enemy's after
ton which was assigned to the troor
} in the sector between Booez and Log
was completed and they withdrew TO th
right bank OF the Isonzo without mole!
tation from the enemy.
All Positions Maintained.
"In the region east of Gorilla "
maintained all our positions against pc
sstent enemy attacks, which were pa
, ticularly violent south OF Grazlgna ar
, on the heights OF Hill ia, south I
, Tivoli
I. Intense aerial activity continue
Our sauadrons dropped bombs on ei
campments east Of Canale and in Il
Gsrcaro Valley. returning in safet
Two enemy machines Were broug
D down."
g Austrian-To-cae' report
G Yesterday. the seventh day OF Il
e tenth Isonzo battle. again was full
= fierce fighting. Southwest OF AuZza Il
h Italians, who had gained footing he
d on the left bank of the Isonzo. frui
!, IessIy attempted to extend their positio
e our lines east Of the narrow PLAY
6 Salcano Valley were uninterruptedly u
: der the enemy's fire from guns OF 6
II calibres.
d "The Italian infantry. whose hea'
i losses are continuously made good
supplies of fresh troops, directed the
y efforts here principally against 4
i heights of vodice, against which tn
Is mace repeated dashes in densabcolumr
= Each of these Clashes collapsed