Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-11-02
ALLY TROOPS
INITALY;ARE
ON FIRE Line
Great Battle is Forecasted
When Counter Attack
Begins.

VI Elftls
along which the Italians are max
ing stand. The war Office an
nonnees that these patrols were
repuIsed.
Italian Headquarters in North.
ern Italy, Thursday, Nov. by
the Associated Press -Italian
and allied troops are preparing
for a counter offensive. A great
battle based on the line of the
TagliameniO river is forecast.
The cavalry rear guard centin-
ues to screen the movement of the
main body of the Italian army TO
its newly chosen position and at
the same time to oppose advance
OF the enemy lines.
General Cadorna's bulletin last
night gives the first idea of where the
advancing is making itself felt along
the hills connecting St Dannielle. Del
Fruili. the lie Ora canal, and Pozzu-
clio del Fruili. making curved line
some miles west of the Isonzo river.
Only general idea can be given OF
the heroic resistance the main part of
the Italian army gave to the rush of
overwhelming numbers. because of
military necessity.
First Great Shock.
The greatest shock came on the
north where the Isonzo first was
crossed. Here occurred the weaken
ing Of certain detachments of the sec
ond army, which General Cadorna has
bulletined with the frankness of q
great commander. It was this weak
ening which gave the German con-
tingents the opportunity at a critical
moment te pass forward between a
I portion Of the army on the north and
/ that on the line further south.
! Now began the double exposure Of
I the southern force to a fire on front
and flank, which required a steadily
falling back until the entire army was
/ in movement toward the newly estab
/ lished positions further west. During
this prodigious movement of the main
front and the rear guard, some sec
tons sustained shocks of exceptional
intensity The commanding height of
/ Monte Nero, which the Italians had
occupied after deeds of great valor,
was defended against onslaughts from
three sides which gradually developed
Ito development
Added to this was the suddenness OF
the surprise blow from the north.
which developed into turning fire
before the southern armies. and also
on their extreme flank, gradually ex-
tending to the rear. Under such cir
I f.tar T.-
BILE that any army would be able To
extricate itself from this situation.
SO the retreat became a necessity
where they were not enyeloped
The line stretched from Plezzo
! (FItsch) far in the north. southeast
ward through Gorilla to Monfalcone
on the Adriatic. The second army
occupied most of the front above Co
rizia. the third army that below Co
rizia.
The retirement was accompanied by
sheltering operations of the rear
guard which held the advancing col
umns and az the same time destroyed
powder depots, arsenals ana bridges.
Heaps of Enemy Dead.
t The Germans encountered stubborn
resistance on the Bainsizza plateau
and heaps OF enemy dead mark the
lines OF their advance. Around Globo
ridge a Bersaglieri brigade. ontnum-
bered five to one. held back the enemy
while the main line had an oppor
tunity TO retreat in motion
IN one of the mountain passes a
small village commanding the pass
was taken and retaken eight times
during desperate artillery, infantry
and hand-to-hand lighting.
Gorilla was shelled heavily. and
what remained Of what the CORE
spondent saw there Just a week age
was further reduced TO mass OF
debris One Of the main bridges from
Gorilla across the Isonzo was blown
up by the Italians
To the west Of Gorilla. the town d
Commons also was shelled heavily
, The great German guns opened enor-
i nous craters and literally tort, ths
town to pieces.
As depots and arse nails were blown
up, the whole sky was lighted with {
lurid glare and dense masses of smok.
formed in an enormous pail ike tn.
approach Of an equinoctial cyclone
: Added to the fearful din and heav,
: shell fire on front and flank. was tn,
! continuous explosion of powder sup
: plies as the Italians slowly fell bac,
screened by rear guard Of Bersag
2 lieri brigade, which threw up hast!
{ ihreastworks and contested every foo
Iof The way
This permitted much Of the heay,
t artillery and munition supplies TO b.
: Withdrawn, but it was a prodigioui
: task in the face of the enemy ad
D vance. Some of the gunners hasiil,
improFised derricks out OF ropes AM
hoisted and dragged the guns by ham
from the advance Inc
Fight Poison Gas.
The heaviest pressure began to b
felt on the Carso front Friday Tn
!. Austrians then increased their BON
! bardment to deafenine intensity an,
! supplemented this with huge volume