Evening star., 1917-05-20
CRAG-T0-CRAG BATTLE i
wins FOR ITALIANS
Seize Key to Austrian Defenses
North Of Monte Santo After -.
Desperate Fight. ]
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
ROME. May 1s. via London.-The ofii<
cial announcement follows:
Surprise attacks during the night on
our positions on the heights Of Hill 5s2,
on Monte Vodice. were repulsed.
Yesterday morning our troops OPEN
ed vigorous attack with the object OF
capturing the heights of Hill $50. on
Monte Vodice. the key to the enemy's
defenses north of Monte Santo. The
stubborn resistance Of the enemy. sup
ported by numerous batteries of all
calibers. which kept up continuous fire
from the rear, rendered the action long
and severe. Advancing from rock to
rock, expelling the enemy from trench
and cavern. destroying his machine
guns, our infantry by evening succeed
ed in reaching the crest of the long
contested heights and maintaining the
position against the concentrated fire
of enemy batteries. We captured 379
men, including sixteen officers.
Italians Withdraw.
with the capture Of the Massf. be-
tween Monte Coco and Monte Vodice.
the task of diverting the enemy's at
tention. which was assigned to the
troops in the sector between Bodez and
Loga, was completed. and they with
drew to the right bank of the Isonzo
In the region east of Gorilla We
maintained all our positions against
persistent enemy attacks, which were
particularly violent south of Grazigna
and on the heights of Hill ia, south of
Tivoli.
''on the remainder of the front in
cessant artillery duels occurred. The
enemy's fire was especially violent
against Gorilla and the surrounding
villages.
Intense aerial activity continues.
Our squadrons dropped bombs on en-
campments at Canalle and the Garcaro
valley. returning in safety. Two
enemy machines were brought down."
The italian success in the area north
OF Monte Santo was won in a sector
where some of the heaviest fighting
has been in progress since the offensive
was inaugurated Monday over a most
difficult country strongly fortified by
the Austrians. The scene of this fight
ing is the region north of Gorilla,
where the Italians forced a crossing Of
ia ok.
On account of the strategic impor-
tance of Hill 652 the Austrians made
repeated counter attacks to drive back
the Italians and succeeded In holding
them OF for several days before for
feiting the position in yesterdays
drive. =
lay OF Fierce Fighting.
VIENNA, May 10. via London, Nav
20. 12:45 a.m.-The official communfca.
tion issued today from Austro-Hun-
garian general headquarters reads:
Yesterday. the seventh day Of the
tenth Isonzo battle, again was full of
fierce fighting. Southwest of Auzza
the Italians, who had gained a footing
here on the left bank of the Isonzo.
fruitlessly attempted to extend their
position. Our lines east of the narrow
Plava-Saleano valley were uninter-
ruptedly under the. enemy's fire from
guns of all calibeT
'The Italian infentry. whose heavy
losses are continuously made good by
supplies of fresh troops, directed their
efforts here principally against the
heights of Vodce. against which they
made repeated dashes in dense columns,
Each of these dashes collapsed san
guinarily, thanks to the heroic bravery
of the defenders, brilliantly supported
by the artillery and the airmen who
participated in the battle. Special
praise is due to detachment of the Kas-
sa Infantry Regiment. Kaiser Wilhelm
II Infantry Regiment No: "a, West
Galicfan Landstrum Infantry Regiment
No. 32, under command of the gallant
Col. Perner. and Austro-Hungarian
Landstrum Battalion No. 40.
italian Gain Admitted.