The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1918-02-02
AUSTR|ANS SUFFER
TERRIFIC LOSSES
ON ITALIAN front
Five Thousand Casualties, or
10 Per Cent, in Twenty
First Rifle Division.

ITALIAN ARMY HEADQUAR-
TIERS, Friday. Feb. (by the As
sociatcd Press).-Ths enemy mado
another powerful effort yesterday 10
redeem the situation west of tho
Brenta River whero tho italians re-
Gently won a notable success, but was
beaten back by the combined action
Of tho Infantry and artillery Without
reaching his objective Of Monte di
Val Bella, where the Italians arc
their position.
Tho extent OF the enemy losses in
the hghtlng early this week Is now
known TO be larger even than the
hrst accounts indicated. the fuller
details making this evident.
The 2tst Rifle Division Of Tho
Austrian forces had 5000 men
put out OF action. or about 70
per cent. Of lee fighting force.
Brigades Of the 18th and 9th
Austrian Divisions had casualties
amounting TO approximately so
per cent.
But the most terrible loss was
inflicted on the 16oth Landsturn,
which OF several thousand men
in line has only Q few hundred
left
The magnitude OF such losses
A. L. -. -
fire Of the Allies, maintained for
forty consecutive hours, often
firing from two or three
directions simultaneously. An
unusual feature OF this artillery
action was the complete unity
brought about among the Italian,
French and British batteries.
This was 30 marked that one OF
tho chiefs Of tho artillery staff
explained; AT last we have real
ired unity OF command right in
the face OF tho enemy fire."
As an Illustration OF the destructive
nature OF the triple artillery fire II
may he recorded that an enemy bat
tory with four monster 2i0-mlllimetre
guns was destroyed completely. The
enemy was using an old church as
one OF his principal ammunition
depots and when the church was
blown up ne was cut off from sup
plies OF ammunition In that sectcr.
In consequence all the enemy bat
teries around Foza and several other
points remained silent.
The whole action disclosed unusual
Generalization and confusion In the
enemy lines While this was due
chiefly to the artillery concentration
II also indicated that. owing to in
ternal conditions. tho enemy force
have fallen far below their former
standard OF efficiency.
While a convoy OF prisoners wal
being taken to the rear an enemy air
plano, flying low, sought to interrup
Its proFress There were no anti -air
craft guns around. but the machln,
finally was brought down by rife
| This was said to be a rare instance
Of the bringing down OF an airplan
by a rife.
Interrogation of prisoners gave con
nrmation OF reports that the Ger
mans have moved troops from ~
Russian 20 the French front durlni
tho period of the armistico. This wa
accomplished indirectly by grantinI
leave to the bost troops on the Rus
sian front. The places OF those me
were filled from tho invalid class. an
thoy were not taken back to tina
front.
An observer who has arrived fror
the held OF the fighting reports hav
Ing seen and talked with a numbe
OF tho captured officers and men a
they were brought back for interrC
cation. 7 lcy were a miserable lookin
lot, he says, many OF them wenrin
Italian uniforms taken during II
invasion OF the FruiIi region.
All the prisoners agreed as 10 n
furious nature OF the fighting an
the exceptionally heavy losses cause
by the concentration OF the Are OF y
Italian, French and British batterie
The trenches were lovelled and II
links between the forward and rei
lines swept away. thus stopping a
communications and preventing u
! officers from securing coordinate
In the work OF the artillery and a
infantry Tho few trenches rFmaii
ing were Uttered with dead. and q
survivors were found for the mo
part on their knees, hystorical
crying or praying,