The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1917-11-28
TEUTON ARMIES
ATTACK IN Vain
Send Entire Division Against
italian Line.
new MASS DRIVE FAILS
The Austro- German Losses in Fruit
less Attempts to Break Through
Mount High.

Mount High.
Rome, Nov. 2S.-An entire division
OF the enemy made an attack in the
Brenta valley in an effort to break
through the Italian northern front.
The official statement says these
troops which attacked in massed for
nation were driven back
The announcement follows:
Monday afternoon the enemy, after
bombarding furiously our positions on
Col della Berreta, to the east of the
Brenta valley, launched against it a
massed attack of an entire division
of infantry. The ensuing struggle was
very fierce, and the defenders, isolat
ed by violent barrage fire, would
perhaps have been compelled to give
way in view of the size of the attack
ing force and the violence of its as
sault, had not their support, composed
of splendid Sicilians of the ancient
and glorious Aosta brigade, with par
ties of the ninety-fourth infantry and
the Brenta valley battalion of Alpini
arrived in time.
Having crossed the death zone
with clap, our gallant troops rushed
against the enemy with irresistible
impetus, carrying all before them and
compelling him to retire with very
severe losses, leaving prisoners in our
hands"
Five determined attacks by Austro-
German forces on the left wing Of TIE
italian fourth army, near Pertica, be-
tween the Brenta and Piave, were de-
ivered The enemy rushes were
broken by the defensive troops with
Neavy losses to the attackers.
During a trip of 100 miles through
the fighting zone in the north, the cor
respondent met the major general in
command of the most exposed front
between the Brenta and Pieve rivers.
where the pressure has been gr atest
md the losses heaviest, and obtained
from him details of the situation.
The general estimated the odds
against him at four or five to one,
which were much heavier than here
tofore known. But even against such
odds his men were fighting with a
power of resistance, courage and dash
beyond all praise. Attacks were al
most continuous at one point or an.
other, but the Italians had not only
repulsed attacks but driven the enemy
back after heroic charges.
The general summed up the physical
conditions of the battle ground. First
he said, there was that terrible strain
of endurance and natural fatigue &C.
companying nights and days of cease
less fighting. Then there was the ex-
treme cold, with the temperature at
nights at about fourteen degrees
above zero, Fahrenheit. This extreme
cold was made worse, he said, be-
cause the men were without any kind
.of shelter There were no trenches
or dugouts and there was no water
from unfailing sources. The soldiers
were on the barren ground of foothills
cooked with rocks and stones. The
ground was without the slightest ma.
tural facilities usually required by
fighting troops.
After summoning up the physical
hardships, the general added there
was the still more serious condition
Of many commands being with very
few officers, as the fighting had told
terribly on officers. New men sud-
denly were called upon to lead large
forces and suboff1cers as we'll as juni-
or officers were directing superior
commands in many instances.
The general said there have been
fearful losses among the troops, which
required a constant reforming Of COM
panies, regiments, brigades and df?
visions. But the general said the
spirit of the men was undated in the
determination to hold at any cost.