Austrian column attempted a surprise attack against Italian lines east
of Hill 652 on the Vodice. It was counterattacked and driven back to
its point of departure, which was then carried and held by Italian
troops. East of Plava the Italians extended their occupation on Hill
363.

CHAPTER XCVIII

THE HEIGHT OF THE ITALIAN OFFENSIVE

The struggle which had now been raging for almost a fortnight
continued with unabated strength. Although the Austrians put up a most
gallant and determined resistance, they could not keep back the
Italian advance, which apparently was made with superior infantry and
artillery forces.

On May 25, 1917, heavy fighting continued on the Carso. After intense
artillery preparation lasting until 4 o'clock in the afternoon,
infantry of the Seventh Italian Army Corps vigorously attacked and
carried the network of trenches extending from the mouth of the Timavo
River to a point east of Jamiano and took possession of the heights
between Flondar and Medeazza.

Farther north, after severe hand-to-hand fighting, the Austrian
defenses at the labyrinth east of Boscomalo were broken and Hill 220,
southeast of the village, and trenches around Castagnievizza were
taken. The operations on the northern sector of the Carso were
confined almost exclusively to artillery actions. The Italians
extended their positions on Hill 174, north of Tivoli.

The fighting was very heavy in the Vodice area, where the Austrians
made every effort to dislodge the Italians from the important point
Hill 652, which, however, remained firmly in Italian possession. After
violent artillery preparation dense masses of Austrian troops
attempted repeatedly and stubbornly to attack the Italian lines.

In the Plava zone the Italians made farther progress on the slopes of
Hill 363 in the Rogat Valley. The total number of prisoners captured
so far on the Julian front from May 14 to 25, 1917, was 22,419,
including 487 officers.

It was now the fourth day of this new Carso battle. Still the Italians
extended their positions. On May 26, 1917, artillery action all along
the line continued fiercely from sunrise until evening. In the
afternoon between the coast and Jamiano Italian infantry by a
brilliant assault succeeded in reaching a point beyond the railway
from Monfalcone to Duino, northeast of San Giovanni, and carried the
strongly fortified Hill 145 southwest of Medeazza. They established
themselves a few hundred yards from