The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-06-26
pave CLEARED
or AUSTR|ANS
BY ITALIANS
Enemy'S Rear Guard Forced to
Surrender-Latins Occupy
West Bank.
FOES LOSSES ARE 100000
Three Thousand More Prisoners Cap
tured-Rout of Emperor's Army 10
CompIete-Many Dead Car.
ried Away by River.

ried Away by River.
Rome, June 26.-Italian troops
forced the last rear guard of the re-
treating Austrians to surrender and
completely reoccupied the west bank
of the Piave river. the war office an
nOunced.
Piave and the Brenta, in the Monte
Grappa sector, the Italians vigorously
attacked the Austrians and inflicted
heavy losses upon them. The Italians
gained considerable ground.
Take 5000 More Prisoners.
The statement reads:
During Monday the Third army,
having obliged the last rear guard Of
the enemy to surrender, completely
reoccupied the right bank of the Piave,
capturing 1S officers and 1907 men.
"Along the northwestern front Of
the Grappa our troops inflicted heavy
losses upon the enemy and gained con-
siderable advantages of ground. We
captured seven officers, 1926 Of other
ranks and 16 machine guns. On June
% and "a nine enemy machines were
brought down."
Austrians Lose 200. 900.
Paris, June 26-Austrian losses to-
tai 100000 men, according to the Sc
colo of Milan. Certain enemy divi-
sions lost two-thirds of their effectives.
A dispatch to the Matin from Turin
says that the rout of the Austrians is
complete and that the Piave has car
ried away many Austrian dead. Ital-
ian cavalry, it is added, have advanced
beyond the eastern bank of the river.
Flood flinders Pursuit.
Londonfi June 26.-The Italian line
along the Piave has been restored
right up to the waters edge on the
west bank of the river, the Evening
Standards adviceS report.
The Piave, it is added, began rising
again, washing away some Of the
bridges the Italians had thrown across
the stream thus hindering their pur-
suit of the AustrianS.
the Italians had taken 45 1000 prisoners
is said by the morning newspapers to
be confirmed by the Italian embassy.
The same statement is attributed to
Premier Orlando by the Rome CORE
spondent of the Exchange Telegraph
company.
The same correspondent quotes the
hot 4 <I,O
troops of Archduke Joseph and Of Gen
eral Wurm are virtually surrounded
and must surrender or be annihilated
The Vienna report insists that the
Italian losses in casualties and pris-
Oners in the present offensive number
counted here in view of the official
statement, that General Diaz's total
losses in dead, wounded and missing
are not in excess of 10000 men, which
number does not cover the enemy priS-
oners taken by the Italians.
Austrian General Ends Life.
A general commanding the Ninety
first Schutzen brigade was found near
Moolo with his brains blown out, hav-
ing killed himself amidst the piled-up
corpses of his forces annihilated after
valiant resistance. Italian prisoners
and wounded have been recovered lying
famished aid INTENDED in caves and
abandoned houses despOiled of all per-
sOnal belongings, even to their boots
and clothes.
Swim With Prisoners.
''The Austrians now on this side of
the fiave either are prisoners or else
are candidates to become prisoners"
was the way an officer summed up the
military situation.
The Austrians had been pursued all
night by the cavalry on the eastern
bank of the Piave.
The cavalrymen were taking prison
ers at will and at some points brought
them. back cross the Piave, swimming
was from eight to ten jeet above it's
normal depth.
Diaz' Chief of Staff Is Promoted.
General Badoglio, chief of staff to
General Diaz, has been promoted by
the king to the rank Of army command
er as an expression of the kings sat
isfaction with the present operations.
General Badoglio will remain In his
present position.