Republican farmer., 1918-05-17
BLOODY STRUGGLE IN
DARKNESS FOR CORNO
HEIGHT IS REPORTED
ITALIAN POSITIONS MAINTAINED AT
CLOSE OF FIGHTING LLIED AIR
MEN DROP TONS OF BOMBS ON
POSITIONS OF ENEMY.

Italian troops rePulsed with
heavy loss a desperate enemy
attempt Monday to redeem the
loss of Monte Como. 1t is be-
lieved that this was only the
first Of a series of efforts to re-
gain the lost ground owing to
the value Of the height which
commands the approaches to
the valley leading from Trent
to Rovereto.
The fight was in the darkness and
was a bloody hand to hand struggle
over the rocky slopes of the noun
tain. The Italian positions, however,
were maintained intact.
So far the fighting around Mont
Como has been of a local character
aand not a part of any general Of
fensive, although the outposts show
increasing activity all along the noun
tain front.
Committed as they are to a con-
| tinuation of heavy fighting on the
western front, the Germans apparent
ly are taking their full time before
beginning another forward operation
on the line from scissors north to the
Belgian coast. In the weeks the en-
envy has made only one determined
attack and this was repulsed by the
Allies southwest of Ypres
| Along the vital sectors Of the sa-
lients driven by the Germans since
March 81, tho enemy artillery has
been active, but there are no signs
of renewed infantry activity in
strength. North of KENNEL, around
Serre, on the line between Albert and
Arras; and on the southern end of
the British line across the Somme and
on the French sector Immediately
south, the German big guns are hurl-
ing thousands of shells into the Al
| lied positions.
Allied airmen are taking advantage
of every opportunity to invide enemy
territory. Many more tons of bombs
have been dropped on important rail-
road centers and other military tar
gets behind the German lines in
| Z ldnuSTS anu GlCifQy. In aerial
fighting the British have brought
down six more enemy machines.
While British naval airmen bomb the
German submarine bases in Zee
brugge and Ostend, army filters con-
! tinue the aerial bombardment Of
Bruges.
West of Montdidier in Picardy, and
northwest of Toul Americas artillery
men are harassing the Germans with
a heavy fire. Considerable damage is
believed to have been caused on both
sectors.
The announcement from Ottawa
that the American army was not to
be employed fully against the Ger
mans until it was complete organi-
zation, it is declared in London, was
due to an error, which has been cor
rected.
The London war office statement
follows:
I'VE carried out successful raid
last night northeast of Robecq
(Flanders) and captured few pris-
oners without casualties to our selves.
A party of the enemy which attacked
one of our posts west of Melville was
repulsed with loss.
"The hostile artillery was active.
during the night in the Somme and
Ancre sectors
Only patrol actions occurred on-<he.
main battle front in Picardy. me
announcement follows:
French patrols carried out~opeca-
tons north of Hangard Con the front
before Amiens) near Courcy and west
of the Mouse, bringing back prison.
ers. We easily repulsed German
raid on small French posts northwest
of OrviIlers Sorel.
1.-The artillery fighting was rather
spirited in the Champagne, near Butte.
du Mesnil, and in the Vosges. A Ger
man local attack north of La Fecht
was repulsed by our fire"