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Show ITALIANS " WITHDRAW LINE AFTER BIGJIGHT Headquarters Account of the Battle Says the Furious Attacks of the Enemy Were Repulsed With Heavy Losses at All Points Save One. BERLIN CLAIMS GREAT VICTORIES Capture of 11,000 Romans Ro-mans and More Than V 60 Guns Reported; '"S Fresh Austro-German Divisions Are Brought From the Russian Front. On the. Italian front the Austrq-Ger-lnana arc making frantic attompts to break through ami debouch upon the plain of Ycnetia. In the Asiago plateau battles of almost unprecedented violence are taking place, the Teutonic allies using a great array of guns and men in their efforts to overcome the Italian resistance. On the Meletta sector the enemy made some, slight advances, but only through the sacrifice of large numbers num-bers of men, the Italians resisting determinedly. de-terminedly. An enemy attempt to carry the Italian line o defense in the upper llrenta valley met .with repulse and heavy casualties. The Ucrlin war office announcing the taking of the Meletta positions says that in the new offensive of the Teutonic Teu-tonic allies 11,000 Italians have been made prisoner and that more than sixty of their guns have bee, captured. ITALIANS RETIRE . AFTER FIGHTING ALL-DAY BATTLE HOME, Dec. 6. After fighting all day tho Italians withdrew their lino from tho slopes south of Monte Castelgom-berto Castelgom-berto to tho 1'oza spur on the northern front, tho war offico announces. Tho enemy took advantage of his gains of Tuesday between Monto Ton-darocar Ton-darocar and Monto Badeneceho says the statement, and carried the engagement to its highest pitch in an effort to take tho formidable, bastion formed by Monte Castolgomberto and Meletta di Gallio from tho rear. The text of tho statement roads: On tho Asiago plateau beginning at dawn yesterday, tho battle was renewed with violence. The enemy brought the action up to its fullest extent in order to carry from the rear tho formidable bastion of Monto Cnstclgomberto-Meletta di (lallio, which effort he had to give ap and take frontally. Tho fighting continued fiercely1 tho whole day from tho slopes south of Monto Castelgomberto to the Vo7A spar. The enemy met with stubborn resistance and numerous counter-attacks bv our troops which were defending the Meletta strong point, ground being yielded foot bv toot. Only when the rear line defense de-fense was being garrisoned by our men was the order given to withdraw with-draw to that line. On Monte Fior and Monte Castelgomberto Castel-gomberto some Alpini troops which had remained isolated preferred to the eventuality of an uncertain re- tirement a glorious sacrifice and an heroic defense to the bitter end. r' A powerful enemy attempt to (Continued on Page Two.) ITALIANS WITHDRAW AFTER STIFF FIGHT (Continued from Page One.) carry our line of defense in the upper Breula vancy was repulsed with .heavy losses. GERMANS REPORT CAPTURE OF GUNS AND PRISONERS BERTjIN, Dec 6, via London. Eleven thousand Italians have been captured by the Austro-Germans in their new offensive of-fensive on the mountainous front of northern Italy, it was officially announced today by the German war office. Strops' Italian positions in the Meletta region of the northern front were taken and held by the Teutonic forces, who' captured more than glxty guns, the statement state-ment says. t j |