South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-11-27
ALLIED FORCES
ON BATTLE LINE
WITH ITALIANS
French and British Infantry
Backed With Artillery Reach
Hard Pressed Troops
Ready for Battle.

] anu TIE NH Country III HOIlntTD
Italy against the Teutonic allies is
at an end. Large numbers of Brit
ism and French reinforcements -
] infantry and artillery-at last have
arrived upon the scene, after dnys
OF anxious waiting in which me
Italians have borne the brunt OF
terrific fighting on both fronts sole
y on their own shoulders and kept
back the enemy from a further in
vasion of the Venetian plain.
Although faced everywhere by
superior numbers OF men and gun
power, the Italians have valiantly
defended every foot of ground in
the hills and along the Piave and
| in the former region in recent days
actually have taken the offensive
against the invaders and pushed
them back from strategic points OF
vantage they had gained under ter
rife sacrifices in lives.
Marched For Eight Days.
For eight days the allied rein
forcements marched to the rescue,
bringing along with them large
numbers of guns and huge supply
trains. All the troops are declared
to be in fine condition and eager
TO test their strength against the
enemy.
Just where the British and
French forces will be thrown into
the fray has not been made known.
but doubtless large numbers of
them will be used TO strengthen the
Italian front on the north from
Lake Garda, eastward to the Piave,
where the Austro- Germans have
been making their strongest effort
to pierce the Italian line.
ITALIAN ARMY HEADQUAR-
TIERS IN NORTHERN ITALY, Mon
day. Nov. 26.-Solid ranks of Fran
CO. British infantry with artillery and
supply trains were seen by the cor
respondent today within sound of
the battle on the Italian northern
line They had been on an eight
day march.
The correspondent was on a tour
of the northern lighting front where
the great battle is continuing with
unexampled violence. Maj. Gen.
Digiorgio was found commanding
the extreme left Of the fourth army
at the point where the fighting was
heaviest.
Throughout yesterday and today
the battle in the mountains has de-
velOped in a steady succession Of
heavy attacks and counter attacks,
with occasional brief intervals for
reforming the lines and reorganiz-
ing new positions. Twelve different
enemy assaults has been made with
in a few hours preceding the cor
respondents visit TO headquarters
On the field but the Italian lines
had not yielded a foot Of ground
and Gen. DisiorgiO, while grave be-
cause of the fierce struggle his men
were making against tremendous
odds. was calm and confident that
the defensive line would hold until
reinforcements were swung into the
fighting.
staff officers from headquarters
were taking the trip along the line
and the route lay straight north in
10 the fighting zone. Soon there
were evidences of a bitter struggle
Just ahead, for along the route long
lines Of Italian infantry, decimated
in the last few days. were reform
ing TO return to the fight They
showed the fearful strain they had
been under, but there was no trace
Of wavering and the long lines
breathed a spirit of eagerness.
ReinfOrccments Arrive.
In another zone a sight which
stirred the blood was when solid
crowded the roads. Already they
were within sound of the rumble OF
the guns and the boom from the
battle off in the distance could be
heard above the gallop of the cav
airy. the tramp of the infantry and
the clamoC of the batteries and sup
ply trains.
The French reinforcements were
first seen in force. They were splen-
did looking young men. One OF their
officers with whom the correspon-
dent talked and who had stripes
earned by gallantry on his sleeve.
said they had just arrived after
hard forced march, with others fol-
lowing.
Soon these others came in view
and for two miles the party passed
through endless lines OF French.
There were squadrons Of cavalry in
the road and in the nearby fields,
and long lines of troops with artil-
lery trains and supplies. Field
kitchens had been set up at one
point and the midday meal was
being served. The men looked in
the best OF condition and did not
show a trace Of fatigue from their
long march.
The British Appear.
Just beyond here the color turn.
ed from blue 10 khaki as long lines
Of the British came into sight In
the lead were cyclists. and then
came engineer trains. Following
were long ranks Of infantry. cav
airy and artillery. At one point
headquarters had been temporarily
established along the road and
guards were at the gate as the Of
ticers went and came.
Further on a British general and
his STAFF. all finely mounted. were
cautpriug forward