The Washington times., 1918-06-17
NEW-AHACKS
LAUNCHED BUT
:FOEIS UNABLE
.TOWINGROUND.
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, the statement con Saturday the en-.
envy attacked In strength, using nifty
divisions 100000 mani, but he did
not succeed-ip pGsgtnE any point in
THE ensmZ itfaeksd under the
screen Of Eu-1rttfieial fog which
lasted for ten minHseS-- North OF Ces-
una group or Brirfsh troops was
surrounded, -but--Fesisted until a
counter attacE- EeieSsed them, when
200 AustrJans Wsrs captured.
south Of MOntebello the Austro-
Hungarisns who crossed the Piave
are being pressed back toward the
river. -
The Fourth army completely re-
gained their advanced positions in
the sectors Of Monte Asolona, Fertiea,
SclarOle, and Porte di Salon.
Battle lust Begun.
''The battle which broke out on
Saturday between the Asiago plateau
and the. Adriatie sea nay be regarded
as just begun. The Austriaas have
been concentrating most powerful
J and fierce attacks astride the Brenta
river ana aeross the Piave. It is still
possible that the lighting line may
now backwards and forwards, but the
situation Is very reassuring.
THE favorable resolts achieved by
the allies were due TO the timely az
tillery eountsr preparation and the
magnificent resistance and unparal-
leled elan Of our troops.
Counter attacks initiated BY Ital-
IAN, French and British troops all
along the front restored most Of the
ground yielded under the first shock.
Vienna claimed capture Of 10000
prisoners, but the Italian war office
made q counter claim of 5000 pris-
onerH. HThe struggle did not dimin-
ish in violence during the night and
90 continuing Hereby" Romeis com
munique said, ''but our troops are
firmly holding the front along the
Asiago plateau, having completely
reoccupied their original positions on
Asolone and At the Monte Solarola
salient and are very closely pressing
the enemy infantry which has passed
to the right bank Of the Piave."
The enemy based his enterprise on
artillery preparation that was rela-
lively brief, but OF extreme violence,
employing q large number OF gas
shells.
aThe Austrian infantry equipment
was Hghtensd and they advanced IN
thin storming formation under the
protection OF artificial fog produced
from bombs and smohe-malSing ap-
paratus called a tnebelmaschinen.'
This murk consists OF a chemical
mixture and It covered q large area
fer ten minutes"
Expected Mig Gain.
me enemy placed much faith in
his preparation and fixed the aim of
his FIRST days lighting as an advance
Of more than fifteen kilometers Cbe-
tween nine and ten miles), and to
descend from the mountain area into
the plain, reaching Treviso from the
Piave.
The hostile bombardment was be-
gun at o'clock on the morning of
the 18th and lasted about an hour.
1t was anticipated and partly frus-
trated by formidable fire from ItaI-
ian artillery, which DESTROYED the
lines and shelters.
We obtained direct hits on massed
troops and poison-EEs battery en-
placements.
when the enemy advanced against
our front lines he encountered re-
sistance, and found italian machine
gun squads ready to support counter
attacks. Consequently, the Austro-
Germans Immediately lost a great
part OF the advantages gained. Ieav-
ing both prisoners and machine guns
in the hands OF the Italians.
Counter Attack Woa.
The same thing happened to the
Austrians along the whole front.
In the attack NORTH OF Cosuna an
advanced group OF British was passed
and surrounded by eAustrians. We
attacked and relieved them.
Of Nennar, the French |
attacked with great spirit. |
a strong point they had /
yielded, capturing 1856
prisoners.
Between Col MeschIn and Nor
3eueFa the fourth army completely |
Tegained possession Of advanced po-
Eitions where the enemy had been |
able TO make slight progress.
"A battalion Of infantry, surround
I'd near Porte de Salton, resisted heroI-
cally, although greatly weakened. We |
counter attacked and regained the
whole position"