The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-06-20
AZ ASSOCIATED PRESS.

Italian Army Headquarters, WedheS
day, June liberalization that the
Austrian offensive has failed, is spur
ring the Italian troops to a desperate
resistance along the Piave. Heavy
fighting continued today around the
Montello plateau on the north and
near San Dona di Piave, on the so1th
On the Montello, which Is hilly and
wooded, the opposing forces frequently
stumbled upon each other unexpected
ly. Such meetings always result IN
sharp encounters. !.
The spirit OF the Italian troops il
at high pitch despite wounds. loss Of
sleep and constant movements made
necessary by the conditions of the
terrain at several points.
Deserted by his staff on the Montel'
10 plateau. Major General Won Kron'
stadt Of the Austrian army fought sin.
gle handed against the Italian Ardfti
until wounded mortally.
lsH seems that the general and his
staff became lost in the woods OF
Montell0 and ran into unit Of Ar.
diti When the members of the staff
saw the Italian soldiers they ran away
AS thousands of Italian and Aus.
t'trian soldiers looked on today an ltal'
ian airplane brought about the sur
render Of crew of an Austrian ma
chine gun float after the Italian in
fantry and arttlley had failed to sub
jugate it. @ ".
Airplane to Rescue.
The Austrians brought the float up
on the swollen Piave river. From this
vantage point the Austrians poured
harassing fire into the Italians who
tried In vain to destroy the float. Fl.
:nally an Italian airplane. sw0oped down
upon the river and forced the Occu'
pants of the float to swim to the
right bank and surrender to the Ital.
ian soldiers.
The arrival of allied air fighters to
assist the Italians has heartened the
Italian air forces which is much wear
led after six days o. heroic work.
" Italian aviatOrs have spent days at
q time In the air, thereby virtually
securing control>of the air and also
preventing bombardment of cities be-
hind the lines.
In trip by the correspondent along
sthe entire front, completed last even.
ling, there was found ample evidence
: that the Austrian hunger offensive
! had failed.
Except for their crossings OF the
Piave the kustrians got nothing for
their attacks upon the Italians or the
Anglo French forces aside from front
line observation posts which already
have been retaken or seem in the way
of being reclaimed.
The trip brought out clearly the
fact that the Austrian artillery
craftsmanship was extremely poor
during the attack. The enemys fire
was frequently slack and often virtual.
ly useless because Of the cutting OF
the Austrian telephone cOmmun'ca-
tions by the Italian gun fire. The
exactitude of the Italian artillery re-
joinder not only had the effect OF
spelling the effectiveness Of the Aus
trian aim but was responsible for the
heavy losses which are known to have
been inflicted upon the attacking
forces. The Italian machine gun fire
likewise produced marked effect when
ever the Austrian infantry moved for
ward, accentuating the decimation in
the ranks caused by the larger guns.
The river Piave, overflowing its
banks, has destroyed several ponton
bridges constructed by the Austrians
at Intestadura and also at San Dona
di Piave. This has increased the dif-
ficulty Of the Austrians in their rear
communications affecting the trans
portation Of artillery, ammunition,
food and fresh troops.
It is stated that the Austrians fight
ing south of the Piave continue to
implore help and also that two Of
their divisions have been greatly re-
duced by losses.
, BY communicating all along the
Piave the Italians have gained further
isround on the Montello in the north
7osa sector of the river front, and also
Continued on Page Three.'