New Britain herald., 1918-06-17
lSTRIANS FORCED BACK OVER PIAVE
(Contnued from First PaSc.)


 
 mountain area and also reach the
 of Treviso from the Piave river.
 he e1}emys bonn bardment was frus
 ed by the formidable fire from the
 an artillery, which destroyed lines
 shelters and made full hits on
 sed troops as well as drenched hls
 |le supplements with gas. WheN
 enemy infantry advanced into the
 1t line zones they found that re-
 nce had been prepared for by the
 an machine guns and had to meet
 Eunter-attack from the allan sup
 ing troops. This resulted in the
 of a great part of the advantage
 had gained and he left prisoners
 machine guns in the hands of T Italians.
 ritish Surrounded. But Win Out.
 his is what happened to the Aus
 1s along the whole front of the
 ok. North of Sesuna, an advance
 up of British, which had been
 red and surrounded by the Aus
 fls, resisted until a cOunter-attack d them and at the same time cap
 Id 200 prisoners. Southwest of flnar the French recaptured png point and took 1855 prisoners. From Moschin to Monte Fenera the nth army completely regained it's 'anced positions on ASplone, Per 4l, SolaroIo and Porte 'di Salton, 3ere the enemy had made slight gress. A storming detachment re- k Col Meschin, with 25O prisoners,
 ten minutes. The prisoners in ded 25 officers.
 Altogether, between the Brenta and Piave, 959 prisoners were cap led.
 South of Montello the enemy
 ssed the Piave with considerable tees, but is being gradually pushed Yards the river by the Italian reac- n. On the lower Piave the enemy fssed the river between Candelu and nson loop in the region of S. Dona
 Piave. The enemy was immediately ecked and driven back by a lnter-attack to the. bank of the CT. One thousand, five hundred I, fdrty-five prisoners, including a
 onel two majors and 42 other off, ks were made prisoner by the ird army.
 Altogether, 5000 prisoners, includ- { 80 officers, were taken by the l Hans and their allies in the first Ny of the struggle which was to Rye been 8 great success for the Aus (ans, but which resulted in a dismal l lure.
 lThe Italian army was prepared to 1 sist the Austrian attack and there confidence it will be able to break le force of the blow.
 Throughout the country there is a (eling of tense expectancy. The ave, solemn faces of the people arc Epressive of the seriousness of the bur, but also of the pride which is lit in the army for it's splendid land all along the difficult battle tont The churches were moro bwded than usual today, throngs of 1men praying for victory and for
 b safety of those at the front. Pany brought jewels as offerings. It is believed the Austrian attack a repetition of the enemy's ma 'suvtr of last October. when he took he offensive from Caporetto to Mon leone with the intention of disguis- ig his main plan of breaking trough the Alps and forcing tho -alians to retire in the Bainsizza nd Carso regions. Now the enemy's $ eint apparently is intended to con- gal the development of a plan long nerished by Field Marshal Conrad on Hoetzendorf to break through 'om the high Asiago plateau to the enetian plain, thus obliging the -alian army along the Piave to re- re in order to avoid being caught y an outflanking movement.