The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-06-27
AT
CAP0 SILE NOW
IN DIAZ'SHANDS
AuStrians Make Several
Counter Attacks. but Are
Beaten Off.
VICTORY GROWS DAILY
Italians Have Recovered All
Their Guns and Material and
Many of Their Men.

PARIS. June 2S.---Fgf ting on the
italian front is fast dwindling down &c
what Gen. Diaz characterized yesterday
as local operations. At only one place
did these assume Importance; that wa.
near the southern end Of the line. where
the Italians not only reoccupied com
pletely the Capo Siie bridgehead. bu
extended II and held ttc position agains
rather heavy Austrian counter attacks
Nearly 400 prisoners were taken in thl!
operation. On the remainder OF tn,
front the fighting was confined to ar
tillery ducls and patrol actions.
The official statement from ROM
says:
Our troops. having completely re-
occupied the bridgehead Of Capo Sile,
extended 1t yesterday. provoking and
firmly sustaining resolute counter at
tacks by numerous enemy forces.
Eight officers and al OF other ranks
were captured
On the remainder of the front there
were artillery duels Of not very great
Intensity and activity by small parties
Between Mori and Loppio one Of
stroyed an enemy advanced post. cap
turing the survivors.
Our fights dropped several tons OF
bombs OF enemy ammunition dumps
on the Venetian plain and on railway
establishments at Mittarello.
Seven hostile machines were brought
down. Lieut.. Favic Baracchni OBJ
tained his thirty-frst victory.
In the clearing up of the battle
field few hundred additional pris-
oners were taken.
The complete recarture Of all our
artillery, arms and material has heen
ascertaHed Only after long statist!-
cal work will II be possible to cs;ab
lish the enormous quantity OF Austrian
arms and material which remained in
our hands.
Austrtan Omcial Report.
The Austrian official statement 20
lows:
on the fronts west of the Adigc
fChting activity has been more lively
during the past few days. On the
Iugna ridge "" repulsed strong
thrusts initiated by vigorous gun fire,
with heavy enemy losses
on the Asiaso plateau and between
tho Rrenta and the P'aye yesterday
was appreciably Guic'er The bitter
struggle Of June =, ended In complete
failure for the Italians. which was
most perceptibls in the disputed
regions on Asolone and Monte rertica.
our de,achmcuts. pursuing tn" enemy.
captured several sectors uf his front
line.
Thanks to the bravery and deter
mined attacks Of our troops all the
Italian efforts to recapture the ground
they lost on June Is sangulnarly
failed
Enemy Aim ndOns Prisoners.
The Associated Press correspondent &
Italian Army Headquarters says man
pitiablc sights wer" witnessed by III
Italians during their advance over tr
shell swept battle-ground. Freauentl
they would come upon their own mo
who had been taken prisoner and aba,
doned by the Austrians in their 4,
treat Many of these were wounde
but virtually all were stripped OF the
shoes and all their good clothing
The whole region for miles Is cl
up by shell holes. and even tho husht
had been mown down by the guntire.
Tales OF hcroism among the Italia
troops are extremely numerous, The,
Is the case OF Lieut. Tuffolino who lo
his right hand eight months ago on II
Carso. but insisted upon joining in
machine gun attack on Capo Sile II
was wounded in this assault. and f.
crying. viva Italia" \ balloon ol
server, whose mooring cable was G,
by a shell. leaped from the basket. SUI
ported by his parachute, and favored !
breeze from off the sea descends
. within the Italian lines. The balloc
| got into an opposite current and ";
| captured by the Austrians.
In Hopeless Tangle.
II was n common thing. during II
| buShwhacking variety OF hghting Il.
was going on, for corps commanders
Hnd themselves occupying the first lin
together with tn" artillery batteries. Il
infantry having lost itself WI lie engag,
In some counter attack. An instance
such mixups occurred during tho bait
preceding the Austrian retreat when
General commanding "A corps placed hin
self with an assault battalion OF II
fantry and went into the attack as
he were an ordinary Major.
The Italians take their losses bravcl
Here and there an army command
tells with regret OF the loss OF such al
such a valued officer. but makes no fu
ther comment.
One case of forEetfulncss is record.
Of an artilleryman who was cut dow
by an Austrian shell and when dyl
was visited by the battery commando
When asked how he felt the artiller
man neglected to reply to the questlo
but demanded instead:
Are our guns still firing"
! An Official chemical examination
the black bread eaten by the Austria
soldiers who were In this campair
showed 3: per cent Of oat four. the r