Omaha daily bee., 1918-05-13

HUNS RETIRE.
With the American Army in
France, Saturday, May lin the
Luneville sector, our patrols early
this morning established the fact that
the hamlet of Ancerviller has been
abandoned by the enemy. The Ger
mans had not attempted to occupy
shell holes in the salient which re-
Gently was torn up by our artillery.
Quiet prevails today on all fronts. in
which there are Americans, according
to reports. Poor visibility has pre-
vented extended aerial activity.
The Seicheprey salient shows
signs of again becoming active. The
enemy last night and this morning
deluged the place with machine gun
bullets.
Fighting Activity Restricted.
Berlin, May <l2,-(Via London.)--
The official communication from gen.
eral headquarters today says:
The fighting activity was restricted
to local engagements. North OF Kem-
mel and on the southern bank OF Lys.
the enemy attacked after violent ar
tillery preparation at several points,
pressing forward in strong recon-
naissances. .
North of KENNEL in hand to hand
fighting we broke down an enemy at
tack on. our lines. Elsewhere his
storming troops collapsed under our
fire.
"On the western bank of the Avre
violent fighting developed as a result
of our advance southwest of Mailly,
during which we captured 40 prison.
ers.
Between the Avre and the Disc
there were many accommodating en-
gagements.
in aerial fighting during the last
two days l9 enemy airplanes were
shot down, II of them being brought
down by the fighting echclon former
ly led by Baron Won Richthofen."
Italians Take Monte Corno.
Italian Headquarters, Saturday,
May ll.-After long period of in
activity, owing to weather conditions,
Italian troops on the mountain front
executed brilliant operation last
night, capturing the dominating po-
sition of Monte Corno, destroying an
elaborate system of enemy defenses
and taking 100 prisoners, two guns.
number of machine guns and much.
war material.
The actions were in the Area valley,
which leads down from the Lagarina
valley and is the main line of .ap-
proach from Trent and Robereto. 1t
was here that the Austrians attempted
to reach the Venetian plain in the
first great offensive. Recently they
have erected powerful defenses, with
battery positions built in Roy, and
electrically charged, and with sys.
TEN OF barbed wire entanglements.
Take Enemy by Surprise.
There was considerable snow re-
naming on Monte Corno, which is
5000 feet high. This increased the
difficulties of movement of the COM
paratively small Italian force which
carried out the attack. 1t was pre-
ceeded by short artillery action.
The infantry advanced over rocky
and precipitous heights in daylight,
but the enemy was taken by surprise
and could make little effective re-
sistance.. All the enemy's defensive
works were occupied. An Italian po-
sition was established on the crest OF
the mountain and the surrounding
slopes.
The chief effect of the action is to
dslodge the Austrians from the
dominating height in the center OF
the main highway from the mountains
and to give the Italians command
over the heights and approaches. The
result gives great satisfaction, espec-
tally as the victory was won on the
very spot where DR.. c. E. Battesti,
a deputy from Trent who went over
to the Italians, and others of this
heroic band were captured during The
first offensive. DR. Battesti was put
to death by the Austrians.