GERMAN COUNTER-OFFENSIVE ON KOVEL FRONT.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 168, 15 July 1916, Page 5

GERMAN COUNTER-OFFENSIVE ON KOVEL FRONT.

REPELLED BY SUPERHUMAN EFFORTS OF RUSSIANS. RETREATING AUSTRIANS MOWN SOWN BY GERMAN FIELD GUNS. INCREDIBLE OBSTINACY OF THE GERMAN CHARGE, LOJfDON, July 14. The "Times" correspondent at Petrograd describes a German counteroffensive on the Kovel front, planned at a special meeting between Generals Linsingen, Hackensen, and Hindenburg. They concentrated troops at various points, masking an unprecedentedly violent attack from the sector ZublinoZaturce. This was preceded by a most violent artillery bombardment, ploughing the Russian first lines. The defenders took refuge in shell-pits. The first assailant b, who were Austrians, were allowed to "approach to ■within 60yds.. The Russians then fired' volleys point-blank, until the entire space in front of the trenches -was strewn with corpses. . The Austrians fled in disorder, but German guns greeted them with a tornado of shrapnel, mowing down hundreds. The remainder frantically dashed, to and fro between the two*fires with uplifted hands. The Russians saved 300. German infantry then replaced the Austrians, and displayed incredible , Despite awful losses, they hurled themselves on the Russian bayonets as though they were impelled by savage religious ecstacy. Even the mortally-wounded pressed forward, madly yelling "To Lufak!" It cost the Russians superhuman efforts to repel this assault. ~" The Russians found among the German dead some of their comrades with their, throats cut. Over the mutilated bodies Russians swore to take mo prisoners. A fierce struggle 13 proceeding along the whole length, and on both banks of the Stokhod, the Germans massing here all their available reserves from other fronts. They are evidently resolved to defend Kovel to the last gasp. An official communique says:—"Artillery actions continue on the Stokhod. Fighting is also proceeding at various places in Galicia. Westward of the Lower Strypa the v enemy is energetically counter-attacking."