The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-05-28
ITALIANS CUT
3 MILE GAP IN
TRIESTE DRIVE
Take 1850 More Prisoners
and Many Guns OH Carso
Plateau.
MAY NOW INVEST DUINO
Udine Infantry Storm the
Heights at Head of Pal
liOra Valley.
TOTAL CAPTURES 1869
Cadorna's Airmcn Bring Down
Two Austrian Machines
and Return Safely.
TOTAL CAPTURES 1869

LONDON, May 2I.-fresn success
crowned the big Italian offensive on the
Carso plateau toward Trieste yesterday
On the fourth day OF the battle tho
Italian infantry pushed still deeper into
the Austrian lines, capturing strong POSI-
tions from which the investment Of
Duino may begin.
So swiftly did the Italian infantry
overrun the Austrian trench labyrinths
and caverns that they cut on an entire
battery OF field guns. ten pieces in all.
with a large quantity OF ammunition.
They took Slc more prisoners. Italians
in an attack further north. on the
Isonso, captured another gun, two trench
mortars and seven machine guns. ana
438 prisoners. making the total of "a
$50 prisoners for the fighting since
May H.
AS on preceding days. Gen. Cadorna's
troops made their greatest progress on
the southern edge OF the Carso plateau
and on the coast OF the Adratic. Here
they penetrated on three mile front to
depth OF two miles and more. The
Italians crossed the railroad from Mon
falcone TO Duino and captured Hin l4l,
northeast of the point where the railroad
was crossed. The Italian line is now
only few hundred yards from Mede-
azza, a mile from the Hermada heights
stubborn Resistance on North.
To the north the Italian attack also
made progress but the Austrian resist
| ance was very strong and not all the
gains could be held Al one time the
gray green line had passed beyond Cas-
| tagnavizza, on the main highway from
| Oppachiasella to Trieste. but the Aus
/ trian bombardment was too intense and
| the line was withdrawn TO the western
outskirts of Castagnavizza.
Though the Carso saw the heaviest
| fighting, a highly important local ad
vantage was gained by a brilliant attack
| on the Isonzo, in the PLAYA sector to the
north. Here infantry OF the Udine
brigade, troops from the country OF the
| Prince OF Cdine. now in the United
States, stormed the heights at the head
of the Palliova Valley. thereby linking
UP the recently captured Monte Cucco
with the new positions on Hin 3S3.
These were the troops who took the
| eleventh gun and the remainder Of the
| prisoners.
The Italian airmen continued their
daring work behind the Austrian lines.
doing especial damage to railroad lines
and bringing down two Austrian ma
chimes. Nj the italian airmen returned
safely. The Italian statement follows.
During the fourth Cay of the furious
| battle on the Carso the positions oc-
| cupied on the southern part OF the
| plateau were extended by the untir-
| ing efforts of our troops, The positions
| already captured in the other sectors
were firmly maintained.
An artillery action all along the line
! continued fiercely from sunrise until
| evening. In the afternoon between
| the coast and Jamiano our infantry by
| a brilliant assault succeeded in reach
! ing point beyond the railway from
Monfalcone to Duino. northeast OF
San Giovanni. and carried the strongly
! fortified Hill l45 southwest of Me-
! deazza. They established themselves
few hundred yards from the village.
Capture of Field Battery.
| During this action some o. our In
fantry reached the enemy s guns. cap
turing a field battery OF ten guns with
ammunition and sl2 prisoners. includ-
| ing thirty-four officers
North of Jamiano violent attacks
and counter attacks followed in Sic
cession all day, supported BY artillery
fire.
Castagnavlzza also was reached and
passed, but the persistent and concen-
trated shelling by n number OF enemy
batteries compelled US 10 evacuatc
ground there. We maintained a hold
on the western boundary.
In the area east and north OF Co
rizia the artillery action was intense
We shelled the basins OF Gargaro and
Britovo. with which tho enemy sup
plies centres
In the PLAYA sector infantry OF the
Udine brigade and the Nnety-tifth
and Ninety-sixth regiments brilliantly
carried the heights at the head of the
Palliova Valley. thus connecting our
Mont Cuceo lines with those on tim
S63 They took <3s prisoners. includ-
ing ten officers. and one gun. two
trench mortars and seven machine
guns.
Our aircraft continued their success
ful bombing raids on the cnemys com
!nunicatons The railway station at
san Lucia OF Tolmino was severely
damaged. Our machines all returned
safely. During the air fighting above
Brtovo an enemy machine was brought
down. Another fell in flames near
Nertoibs,