OCR Text |
Show Thrilling Story of Italians9 Heroic Fight Near Asiago, ITALIAN ARMY HEADQUARTERS j IN NORTHERN ITALY, Monday, Dec. 10. (By tho Associated Press) A visit today to tho headquarters of a major-general commanding a division of heroic Alpini and Bersagllerl, disclosed dis-closed the story of tho manner in which this division held the heights back of the Asiage plateau until It was cut to pieces and the remnant was compelled to fall back to its present now line. The general Is now ongaged In reforming his shattered forces whicli were seen in long lines along the roads preparing to go back into the fight. Major Leads Final Charge A major of the general's staff .who toward the close of the fight collected tho remainder of tho men of tho division divis-ion and led them in the final charges until the order for retirement came, gave a first hand description of the struggle He said there were three Borsaglleri regiment, some Alplnl battalions bat-talions and one infantry regiment in tho division, inaddltion to tho usual quota of batteries of field and middle caliber guns. These were rangod back of Asiago when the enemy's drive reached its maximum Intensity last Wednesday. For twenty-four hours one Bersaglieri regiment had held Monte Tondarecar until Its platoons had been reduced from thirty men to six. It was then that tho battalions of AJpIni wcro sent to their relief. Men Cut to Pieces Tho Alpini fought their way up tho hill, gaining the summit against heavy odds, only to find tholr comrades cut to pieces. Most of them were lying doad from stab wounds. Now the Alpini Al-pini battalions found themselves in tho center of enemy cross fires which gradually encircled them. Some of tho battalions manoeuvered and wero carried car-ried back and forth in tho fury of the fighting along the slopes. Others remained re-mained on the summit with the enemy surrounding them. At 9 o'clock on Monday morning tho colonel of this regiment sent his report to his commanding officer. It said laconically: la-conically: "Tho enemy is on all sides and I am about to chargo.'! That was the last which was ever hoard of him, or any of his men. c ! Gallant Alpini Wiped Out The enemy's enveloping massos grew denser and the gallant Alplnl band which had gone to rescue the Borsaglleri was wiped out of existence. exis-tence. Fighting continued along other points of the lino until the forces wero declmlnatcd and It became clear that tho enemy greatly outnumbered the Italians. The general himself who was directing operations from a point just back of the line, narrowly escaped a shrapnel shell which burst near his automobile. It was then that tho major, who recounted these events, gathered tho remnant of the divisions and fought out the remainder of tho day until iho new Italian linos of defense de-fense wero formed across tho Fran-zclla Fran-zclla and Gadena passes leading to tho Bronta valley and the plain. It is here tho lines aro now resting with good prospects of holding. The correspondent visited a number of points on tho present lino and talked talk-ed with officers and men. All were confident con-fident of being able to hold when the new attack which they expect in a few days, is made. ' |