. Italy in North Africa : an account of the Tripoli enterprise . open when his leaders allow himto do so. With the first light on the morning of September 17 theArabs flung themselves upon the Italian outpost left of the Italian position was held by General Salsascommand—Alpini, Askaris, and native levies from Derna—while the salient angle formed by the junction of the ruinof Kasr el Leben with the old line of redoubts was occupiedby General Del Buonos infantry of the line. The first attack was directed upon General Salsas right,and the rush of the Arabs was supported by the fire of
. Italy in North Africa : an account of the Tripoli enterprise . open when his leaders allow himto do so. With the first light on the morning of September 17 theArabs flung themselves upon the Italian outpost left of the Italian position was held by General Salsascommand—Alpini, Askaris, and native levies from Derna—while the salient angle formed by the junction of the ruinof Kasr el Leben with the old line of redoubts was occupiedby General Del Buonos infantry of the line. The first attack was directed upon General Salsas right,and the rush of the Arabs was supported by the fire of aTurkish battery. In a few minutes the attack developedall along the line towards the left and, simultaneously, afurious onslaught overwhelmed an outlying detachmenton the right of the brigade and burst through the thin linesof the Italians to the rear of their advanced positions. Onthe extreme left the Arabs advanced with splendid daring,but as they drew near they were staggered by an irresistiblecounter-attack from a battalion of Alpini and the Eritrean. ^^yfr^m DERNA AND ENVIRONS THE OPERATIONS IN CYRENAICA 205 battalion. The Arabs broke and fled, pursued by a steadyand pitiless fire, which dropped many of them before theycould reach cover. The pressure on his left relieved,General Salsa immediately detached a battalion of Alpinito move against the force of Arabs, some five hundred innumber, which had broken through between his brigadeand the right wing. General Del Buono launched a similarattack against these Arabs, who were assailing his left, andthey were all but exterminated. A few succeeded in escap-ing from the net which was closing in upon them. Verymany were mowed down by rifle-fire as they ran for cover :others were shot, or bayoneted, fighting to the last; aboutforty threw down their arms and surrendered. By nine oclock in the morning the battle was virtuallyover, though Turkish guns to the west of the Wady Dernastill boomed at intervals, presumably to cover th
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