Corps,
which repulsed violent counterattacks during the night, took strong
defenses on difficult ground east of Veliki, Kribach, and Monte
Pecinka.

On the next day, November 3, 1916, the offensive on the Carso was
prosecuted successfully by the Italian troops. In the direction of the
Vippacco (Wippach) Valley the heights of Monte Volkovnjak, Point 126,
and Point 123 a little east of San Grado were stormed. An advance of
almost a mile eastward brought Italian troops to Point 291 and along
the Opacchiasella-Castagnievizza road to within 650 feet of the latter
place. On the rest of the front to the sea the Austrians kept up a
bombardment of great intensity with artillery of all calibers. A
massed attack was directed against Point 208, but was broken up by
concentrated fire.

By November 4, 1916, the Austrian resistance had stiffened to such an
extent that a lull became noticeable in the Italian enterprises east
of Goritz and on the Carso Plateau. In spite of this, however, the
Italians had succeeded again in advancing their lines, inflicting at
the same time heavy losses to the Austrians and making almost 10,000
prisoners in four days' fighting. Their own losses were also very
heavy, and undoubtedly were partly responsible for the cessation of
this new drive against Trieste.

This was practically the last Italian effort during 1916 to reach
Trieste. Weather conditions now rapidly became so severe that any
actions beyond artillery bombardments and minor attacks by small
detachments had become impossible. During the balance of November,
1916, artillery duels were frequent and sometimes very severe on
various parts of the Isonzo front, especially on the Carso Plateau.
Beyond that neither side attempted anything of importance, though here
and there small engagements resulted in slight adjustments of the
respective lines. On the other parts of the Austro-Italian front much
the same condition prevailed during all of November, 1916; indeed even
artillery activity was frequently interrupted for days by the severity
of the weather.

CHAPTER XLVI

FIGHTING ON MOUNTAIN PEAKS

Much of the fighting on the Austro-Italian front which has been
narrated in the preceding pages has been going on in territory with
which comparatively few are acquainted. A great part of the front is
located in those parts of northern Italy and the Austrian Tyrol and
Trentino which for generations have been known and admired all over
the wor