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Show STOPPED Great Encircling Attack Is Attempted Against Monte Meletta, Preceded Preced-ed by Heavy Bombardment Bombard-ment by Tear-producing Shells, and Results in Complete Failure. ITALIANS HOLD ALL POSITIONS Struggle for the Mastery Mas-tery Between the Bren-ta Bren-ta and Piave, During Which Several Points Were Lost and Retaken, Re-taken, Lasts Through the Entire Day. EOME, Xov. 23. A great encircling attack was attempted yesterday by the AustrO'German forces against Monte Meletta, but the Italians held all the positions, it was announced today by the war ofiice. Throughout yesterday the Teutons attacked at-tacked the Italian' positions between the Brenla and Piave rivers. Several positions were lost more than once, the statement adds, but all were retaken. Towards evening the last Italian counter-attacks definitely stopped the Austro-Germans. The statement follows: On tho Asiago plateau the enemy directed his forces from the north onto the Monte Tenderecar-Monte Badenocche front, and from the west toward the front of Monte Castelgamberto - Cascrta - Meletta d'Avanti yesterday, completed an encircling movement against the point of vantage, the Meletta. The action, which was preceded by a heavy bombardment by tear-producing tear-producing shells, was made with extreme violence by large enemy forces, which were continually renewed re-newed and were supported by intense in-tense artillery fire. ' Our forces of the first arm', offering the most effective resistance and making continuous counter-attacks, succeeded succeed-ed in holding all positions firmly and repulsing the enemy with very severe losses, capturing eight officers offi-cers and 191 men. Between tho Brcnta and the Piave tiio enemy attack was renewed re-newed with the most violent artillery artil-lery fire, followed by an advance of dense waves of infantry. The struggle was most fierce and lasted last-ed through tho whole day. Several positions w-ere lost more than once and promptly retaken by our troops of the fourth army, who distinguished distin-guished themselves by their aggressive aggres-sive spirit and bravery. Towards evening the last counter-attack definitely stopped the enemy for whom, in this sector also, the day's fighting resulted in heavy losses. BATTLE IN HILLS REACHING CLIMAX; FIGHT IS FURIOUS 1 T A 1. 1 A X H KA1XJU ART K I IS I X NORTH KRN ITALY. Xov. !':!( By the Asjsor-lii t ed Frets . The hfi t lie between the Piave a nd Hreuta rivers in tho lolly leading to the Yont;ti:in plain is reaching reach-ing a climax with a fury of action p-t p-t ceding anything that has tin:? far taken plai-p on that front. Some pom 'ions. ailT flni'iiiH i ire in furious rr.a.-s attacks in which the C-ennnns joined the- A usi n:i nn, are again in The hands of the Italians, who made a magnificent charge up the slopes. Uo and ('own tho slopes this fear fid carnage is proceeding, an I four attacks 1 (Continued on Page Thirteen. TEIMS STOPPED BY III COURAGE (Continued from Page One.) have been swept back over the Italian lines over heaps of enemy dead. Only at one point lias the enemy succeeded m making headway with his overwhelming over-whelming numbers, and here the Italians have given ground with the final issue still in doubt. A detailed description of this most decisive de-cisive engagement has been given the correspondent by an eye-witness just returned re-turned from the battlefield. He is hardened hard-ened to these scenes from recent experiences, experi-ences, but says that the bloodiness of the struggle now1, going on is beyond all precedents. . . . . Against enemy reserves hurled in mass formation the Italians -have interposed sueh heroic resistance that some regiments regi-ments are reduced to 300 or 400 men. The position at one point was almost encircled en-circled on three sides, so that the eneun artillery fire swept at cross-fire through the Italian trench lines and batteries. It was this which required a falling back of about 500 yards until decimated ranks could be re-formed for the final charge. The Basilieata, Calabria and Alpine hrigades suffered most in this storm. Three battalions of Alpini were almost wiped out of existence. But t he enemy paid dearly for their first advance and did not enjoy it long. German and Austrian dead were piled up in heaps. Their trenches disappeared in the fury of the artillery action. The Italian lines over great stretches of ground were strewn thick with bodies of Germans and Austi'ians. |