The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-11-24
EARLY REVERSES
| OF ITALIANS ON
pave RETRIEVED
CONTINUED from Page ~


an Italian regiment to three or four
hundred men means that upward of
1000 have fallen. From an authori-
tive source this information is given
in regard to the Italian units:
A battalion is 1000 men, in four.
companies. A regiment is 5000 men,
three battalions. A brigade is 5000
men, two regiments. A division Is
two or three brigades. An army corps
is two or three divisions.
It is this regimental formation of
1000 men which makes it appalling
fighting when only 800 or 400 remain
Italian Headquarters in Northern
Italy, Friday, Nov. 23-(By the A.
PA succession of attacks and
counter attacks took place all day yes
terday on the hills between the Piave
and Brenta valleys, where the Italians
and Austro-Germans have been in
furious combat. Brigades and regi-
ments, their numbers diminished in
the struggle, were reformed and re-
turned to the fight. In one section
where there were 80 officers, 27 were
killed or wounded, but the three re-
naming fought the battle Of the 80.
Mountain batteries had been secur-
ed in mountain emplacemef1ts and as
the fight ebbed and flowed over these
positions the Italians not only brought
back the guns, but even the wheels
and the limbers, their pride not per-
hitting a vestige to fall into the
hands Of the enemy.
The final charge Of the day came at
2 o'clock in the afternoon. The en-
envy had struck his greatest blow ear
lier in the day and the fierce attack
lasted three-quarters of an hour, the
whole field being swept by artillery
fire and the ground was strewn with
dead.
1t. was amid this welter of bodies
and debris that the Italian lines were
reformed and from it they moved for
ward steadily and irresistibly until the
disputed ground was retaken except at
one point, where the struggle still goes
| on. In this last desperate charge the
officers and men were eager to ad-
vance, preferr1ng death to being made
| prisoner. The enemy losses must be
very heavy, but he is bringing forward
a steady stream of reserves
The First army also is sustaining
heavy fight west Of Brenta river,
| where the enemy rush has been re-
| pulsed by the splendid resistance OF
the Italians.
The count Of Turin, commander of
the Italian cavalry in the retreat, has
given out written review of the deeds
performed by his men, Many in
stances Of individual daring are re-
Icorded.
A corporal of the Florence lancers
was ordered to explore a zone near
| C1v1dale. Going forward he saw a
| party of Italians held prisoner by the
enemy He returned and gathered a
force Of cavalry which released the
imprisoned party and brought them
back. In another case Piedmontese
cavalry. after being surrounded, broke
through the enemy lines. but the col.
| onel commanding failed to escape
! He was the only man left inside the
enemy circle. and he was seen to take
hts stand against a wall, probably
preferring death to being made pris-
foner
| The fate of the Caserta cavalry,
which dismounted and fought afoot,
and Of their fellow dragons also is
recounted. making this recital one of
the most stirring chapters of the re-
cent operations.
| A high commanding officer on the
field has summarized the fury, OF the
battles by saying he could not deter
mine who to commend for bravery,
as the distinction would require a
medal for the entire force engaged.
A ribbon for bravery. he said, would
stretch across the entire Italian
front.