Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-06
Teutonic AssaiIants Suffer
Heavily in Sanguinary Hand
to-Hand Battles.
FORCES OF GEN. DIAZ
WITHSTAND SHOCK WELL
Masses Of Opposing Infantry Inter
locked in Tremendous Struggle
Raging on Ten-Mile Front.

Tho Austro- German push to break
through to Vicenza and the Venetian
plains evidently is in force, but the
Italians are standing the shock we'll
Tie attack is against line from Monte
Sisemol, north through Monte Melet-
ia, and east to Monte Badenecche, woa+
of the Brenta river, front of about se-
miles. The first effort of che enemy
was from the northwest between Sisemol
and Meletta and this was broken up ia
hand to-hand fighting in which the at
tackers suffered severe casualties and
left several hundred prisoners in Italian
hands
Larger forces took part in the second
effort from the northeast against the
western wing of the front. After fierce
fighting, the enemy occupied Italian
trenches on Monte Tondarecar and
Monte Badenecche, and the defenders
withdrew from the more advanced posi-
tons. Berlin reports the fighting is
continuing with success.
Germans Repulsed.
By the Associated Press.
ITALIAN ARMY HEADQUARTERS
IN NORTHERN ITALY, Wednesday,
December 1.-The furious enemy at
tack on the Asiago plateau has been
repulsed with heavy losses except at
the norfhea aferp sacfor aro,,d Mor+a
Tonderecar, where. after a desperate
struggle which lasted until this morn
ing. the enemy succeeded in occupying
some of the advanced Italian lines.
which were retired to more secure po-
sitions.
The fighting has been extremely
heavy. with masses of infantry en-
gagged in hand-to-hand combat. The
first attack on the Italian left was
met and repulsed by the 22d Corps,
with large enemy casualties. Many
prisoners were taken. The main attack
on the Italian right was contested
inflicted heavy losses before yielding
Rome Official Report.
The official report OF last night says:
ION the Asiago plateau, the enemy, aft
er having gathered a formidable array of
artillery, and renewed and Increased his
forces, which had severely suffered in pre-
vious combats, has begun an attack on
our positions. The first assault. launched
yesterday. was firmly held up by US and
the only advantage obtained by the Aus
tro-Germans. at the price Of heavy losses,
was the gain OF some positions. which
has not weakened the frmness of our
resistance.
Preceded by a destructive lombard
ment. continued most violently for several
hours and accompanied by heavy bursts
Of barrage fire, the enemy made a double
attack on the strong point Of Meletta.
Decisively Repulsed.
THE first attack. from the northwest
after several attempts to advance, was
arrested by our barrage and finally
broken up in the afternoon on a section
OF Monte Sisemol and the southwestern
slopes of Melette di Pablo, where. in
violent hand-to-hand fighting, the enc
my was decisively repulsed with heavy
losses and left us also some hundred
prisoners.
The second attack. from the north
east, was brought forward with larger
forces and greater tenacity between
Monte Tonderecar and Monte Badenec-
che. Here. after exceedingly fierce
hghting lasting until early this morn
ing. the occupation Of some trenches
which the enemy was able to effect
counseled US to withdraw some of the
more advanced portions of our line.
AT Zeenson, on the Piave, as a
greater movement had been noted. one
or our storming parties well supported
by artillery, which destroyed five small
bridges thrown across the river at this
point py the enemy, attacked the enemy
at the bend of the river infiicting losses
on him and bringing back prisoners
and machine guns"