Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1918-06-17
|TAL |ANS CHECK
AND DEFEAT FOES
THRUST ON PAVE
Capture 5000 Prisoners, Including
go Teuton Officers; Rescue
Group Of British.
FORCED BACK TO RIVER
Rome Sombre and Grave Women
Say Prayers and Offer Gems
for Victory.
FULL CONFIDENCEIN ARMY
81 Associated press ID Every Evening

By Associated Press % Every Evening
Rome, Italv. sunday June To- The
situation on the Italian front n NJ en-
tiretv seems very reassurlng. declares
scm-of7cIai note tonight II saws ne great
battle which broke ont SATURDAY. has only
began Although having strength q
5Ixtv divisions the enemy has not succeed
cd IN passing he Italian advanced area
At any point
Austrian pressure continues very strong
along the entire front The enemy Is con-
centrating most powerful and fierce
attacks astride the Brenta and across the
Pave. and 1t i still possible Tor the hight
ing line to flow backwards or forwards.
ARTILLERY FIRE PREC EDEs ATTACH
The enemy based his enterprise On
various factors 70 assure MN 3 victory.
saws the seml-effieIal note There WAS .
relatively brief. but extremely violent
artillery preparation with a large number
of gas shells intended 70 destroy me
Italian front line and paTalyZe the ltailan
artillery Then. under cover 81 an artl-
ficiai fog from bombs ana smoke apparatus
The enemy advanced IN open formation
He placed such faith n tins preparation
that he fixed his obIectiveS for the first
dav fighting about nine miles in advance
and planned 10 descend from the mountain
area and also reach the city of Trevlso
from the Piave River.
FoEs BoMBARDMENT CRUSHED.
The enemy bombardment was irus-
trated bv the formidable IRE from the
Italian artillery, which destroyed lines
and shelters and made fuil hits on massed
troops a. we'll as drenched hls battle
puDlacementS with gas
When the enemy infantry advanced
INTO the front line zones they found that
resistance had been prepared ior By the
Italian machine guns and had 80 meet
counter attack from the Italian support
ing troops.
This resulted in the loss Of great part
of the advantage he had gained and he
left prisoners and machine guns n the
hands of the Italians
North OF CeSuna an advance group oi
British. which had been passed ami
surrounded by the Austrau>. resisted
until counter attack freed them. AMI
81 the same time captured 200 prisoners.
Southwest Of Neunar the French captured
a strong point and took $50 prisoners
rAPrURA . OFFICERS.
From Mosch,n Is Monte Fenera rhc
fourth army completely regaIned It's
advanced positions on ASolone. Peruca.
Solarolo and Porte hi Saltou where the
enemy had made slight progress
storming detachment retook Col NeSch,n,
with $50 prisoners. IN ten minutes.
The prisoners included p officers
Altogether between the Brenta and the
Pave $50 prisoners were captured
South Of MoDtello the enemy crossed
the Pave with considerable forces. but
is being gradually pushed towards the
river by the Italian reaction. On the
lower Pave the enemy passed the river
between Candelu and Zenson loop in
the region Of ). Dona Di Pave.
EMMY THRUST RACK.
The enemy was Immediately checked
and driven back by counter attack 20
the bank Of the river One thousand
five hundred and forty i've prisoners.
including a colonel, two majors and -
other officers were made prisoner by the
third army
Altogether. three thousand prisoners,
including 80 officers, were taken BY the
Italians and their allies in the first day
of the struggle which was 70 have been
great success for the Austrians, but
which resulted in a dismal failure
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