ENEMY LAUNCHES VIGOROUS OFFENSIVE.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 6486, 13 September 1915, Page 3

ENEMY LAUNCHES VIGOROUS OFFENSIVE.

Russians Gain Victory at Skidel

Petrograd, Sept 12 A series of German attacks in the direction of Dvinsk were repulsed. A German aeroplane while bombarding a hospital train near Ponemounek was brought down between Smenta and Villa.

Strong foioes of the enemy opened a vigorous offensive eastward of Wilkomir.

The enemy is advancing on the Dviusk road aud neighbouring roads and is directing his principal effort with the assistance of strong field and siege artillery southward of the Dvinsk road. Simultaneously large forces of the enemy are advancing in the region of Chiryinty, ( their general direction being Wilkonur. Towards Svienthiany we repulsed ropeaced attacks on the. Ozery-tikidel front.

At Skidol kand to Jiaud fighting took place Finally, after a brilliant assault by one of our battalions, Skidel remained in oar hands.

Our cavalry, aided by the infantry which dislodged the Germans from tho trenches southward of Skidcl, eagerly pursued the enemy. A desperate fight took place on the Zelvianka river, southward of the Niemen. A battery was entirely destroyed. We thereafter easily stopped attacks

Near Zelva, despite asphyxiating gases, we repelled a series of assaults and maintained our positions on the right bank ©f tho Zelvianka after completely clearing the enemy from the whole of this bank.