RUSSIAN ADVANCE

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 131, 30 November 1914, Page 7

RUSSIAN ADVANCE

REVIEW OF THE GREAT BATTLE UTILISING THE DANUBE BRINGING TROOPS THROUGH SERVIA AUSTRIANS ABANDON CZERNOWITZ IN THE WESTERN AREA PREPARING TO BREAK THROUGH AT YPRES 1

The news to-day is mainly from the 'eastern theatre, and it is declared that the battle on the whole of the VistulaWarta front is favourable to the Russians. . The Russians • are converging on Cracow from three sides, and a report from a traveller states that the Polish party demands its surrender v before bombardment takes place, in order to spare the City. Bochnia, twenty miles east of Cracow, was carried by assault by the Russians. An unofficial report states that the Russian victory is likely to exceed all previous estimates. From the German side comes the claim that FieldMarshal Yon Hindenburg has brought the Russian offensive / movement to a standstill. He naively adds : " The enemy is not yet annihilated. 1 ' There is uneasiness in Berlin at the appearance of Russian reinforcements, it being estimated that four millions have passed through Warsaw during the past five weeks. On the Russians' 'extreme left the Austrians have abandoned Caernowitz, the capital of Bukowina, and the Russians have occupied the town after a fierce bombardment. Yet another important move has been made by the Russians. Seemingly they have utilised the Danube, and a report states that they have brought up fifteen regiments and barges of ammunition to Radujevatz, a town a few miles from the point where Servia, Bulgaria, and Rumania meet. On the Franco-Belgian line the situation is unchanged. The cannonade is more active, but the Germans are not using their heavy- artillery ; consequently the duel is to the Allies' advantage. From Paris it is reported that seven hundred thousand Germans are in the vicinity of Arras, preparing to break through. German marines are also moving towards the Yser. An unconfirmed report states that a German battleship and a German cruiser have been lost in the Baltic. GREAT SUCCESS CLAIMED CAPTURE OF BOCHNIA ENEMY IN DISORDERLY RETREAT The following cablegram has been received by His Excellency the Governor of New Zealand from the Secretary of State for the Colonies : — LONDON, 28th November. " On tho whole front between the Vistula and Warta, the battle is favourable to the Russians. Guns and prisoners were captured, but the' number of prisoners is not yet exactly ascertained. The Germans are holding their trenches in the direction of Lodz. On the Czenstochowa-Cfracow front more than 4000 prisoners were taken. On 26th November Bochnia (twenty miles east of Cracow) was carried by assault, over 2000 prisoners, ten guns, and machine guns being taken. On the right. bank of the Vistula, in the Cracow region, the enemy is 11? disorderly retreat. In France and Belgium there is nothing to report, "HARCOUKT." FAILURE OF A NAPOLEONIC ATTACK. _ . , PETROGRAD, 28th November. During the last stage of the Battle of Koluszki (about twenty-two miles east by south of Lodz) the Germans, desperately struggling to fight their way through to Strykow (some twenty miles north-east of Lodz) were exposed to incessant charges by the Russian cavalry. The Russians, knowing the difficulty qf surrounding three army corps in open country, were seeking to cut off every supply of ammunition. " Prior to the German advance for the counter-stroke on Warsaw the Kaiser gave an audience to General yon Hindenberg at Thorn, and said/ "The eyes of the world are Upon you." Yon Hindenberg then launched, his Napoleonic attack, aiming at breaking the Russian centre and surrounding the Russians between Czenstochowa and Cracow. ( } The German army under General 'Francois attacked Lowicz, while General Mackensen, with the centre army, marched on Lodz. General Mackensen duly broke the Russian centre at Brezink (about nineteen miles due east dt lioaz), but found that his three army corps had been cut off. General Francois, who 'had been decisively defeated at Lowicz on Tuesday, retreatedin a north-westerly direction, his retirement making General Mackensen s position increasingly difficult. Meanwhile, the Russians on Monday had defeated General Wielet's force of Germans at Czenstochowa. They had been entrenched along a line of low hills running from tha-t point to the Vistula River, and the Russians, had driven a wedge into the line at Wlodwize, twenty-five miles south of Czenstochowa,, and are now attacking ( the Germans' northern section in the flank. The Russians are converging on Cracow from three sides, and continually capturing guns, ' t The Russian General Staff complains that the Germans are placing antiaircntft guns, machine guns, and wireless apparatus on church towers for the jevident purpose 01 forcing the Russians to bombard the ancient buildings. VICTORY LIKELY TO EXCEED PREVIOUS ESTIMATES. _ , _ .. , PETROGRAD, 28th November. t The latest unofficial reports suggest that the Russian victory between the , 'Vistula and the Warta is likely to exceed all previous estimates. Three army corps which are seeking to escape from Strykow are now subjected to a terrible artillery, fire. They are short of food and big-gun ammunition, and are suffering appalling losses. The situation resembles that of Paardeburg. The Daily News Petrograd correspondent states that tho Germans are in a crooked triangle, the apex being west of Koluszki, and the base between Lowicz and Lodz The Russians have their force turned inward upon the triangle, but the main body is resisting determined efforts from Thorn to reach the isolated army corps. The railway from Thorn is exposed to constant raids oy the Russian cavalry. GERMAN BTRATEQY TOO BOOKISH, (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) „,. _. „.._,., , LONDON, 27th November. Ihs Times, in a leading article, remarks that the Russians do not hesitate to say, that German generalship has broken down. "German strategy ia too

bookish, and everywhere has failed to survive practical tests. Prussian arrogance, revealed in all the German movements in the field, is gradually producing the worst disaster which can ever overtake a great Empire." (Press Association.) AN OFFICIAL REVIEW. PETROGRAD. 28th November. Official. — "The Russians scored a great decisive success on the Proszowice-Brzeszo-Bochnia-Wisiricz front on Thursday, routed the enemy, and captured seven thousand prisoners and thirty guns, of which ten were with complete teams, and twenty machine guns. "A Russian battalion captured a commander, twenty officers, and 1250 men and colours, the remnants of the Thirty-first Honved Regiment, at Brzeszo, and also a, motor-car with several members of the General Staff. We are energetically pursuing the enemy. We have progressed at certain points west of Lodz, and are also attacking important forces in the Carpathians. "Our troops advancing from the Bzura River have reached Gombin (about fifteen miles south of Plock, on the Vistula). We have captured Brzeziny (east of Lodz) and other villages in the Morga Valley by bayonet attacks, and the cavalry charged the retreating enemy, capturing guns and many prisoners. The position on the whole of the Warta- Vistula front is favourable. "Our success on the Czenstochowa-Cracow line was of marked importance. We made prisoners of over four thousand Germans. The Russians forded the Raba River, neck-deep, amid rushing ice-floes, and carried a strongly-fortified position. "We carried Bochnia against desperate resistance, capturing two thousand prisoners, and also ten guns, and a number of machine guns. The enemy's retreat was disorderly near Cracow. CERMAN PLAN FAILED BEYOND DOUBT. "Although many exaggerated statements as to the dimensions of the Russian victory on the Vistula, based on' private letters, should be accepted with reserve, it is beyond doubt that the German plan to break the Russian front failed, and that the Germans were compelled to fall back, suffering immense losses. "The enemy continues his obstinate resistance, and it is impossible to consider that the operations have yet concluded. Apparently the main Russian success against General Mackensen was north-east of Lodz. General Mackensen at one time got between the Russian right and Warsaw. "General yon Hindenberg sought to relieve Cracow by threatening Warsaw, but Mackensen was unable to retain his position, and yon Hindenberg rapidly concentrated at Wielun and tried to turn the Russian left, and simultaneously turn the Russian right operating against the Austrians. "The German advance near Lodz failed, and the Russians, holding the Austrians firmly at Czenstochowa, began to hem the Germans from the South, at the same time enveloping therii from the north. Mackensen was forced to retreat along the Vistula, but many regiments were broken, and are wandering eastward of Lodz." YON HINDENBERG'S CLAIM. AMSTERDAM, 29th November. v A telegram from Thorn (on the Vistula, near the Polish frontier), states that General yon Hindenberg, in an Army Oi'der, has announced that he has brought Russia's offensive movement to a standstill. The order reproduces the Kaiser's telegram congratulating Yon Hindenberg on his success, and promoting him to the rank of Field-Marshal. • General yon Hindenberg claims to have captured sixty thousand prisoners, 150 guns, and two hundred machine guns. He adds that the enemy is not yet annihilated. OFFICIAL FROM BERLIN. (Received November/ 30, 12.5 p ; m.) AMSTERDAM, 29th November. An official message from Berlin states : "The situation on the right bank of the Vistula is unchanged. We repelled attacks in the region of Lodz. Our counter-attacks were successful." BERLIN BECOMING UNEASY. COPENHAGEN, 28th November. Private advices from Berlin state that the Germans are uneasy at the appearance of heavy Russian enforcements. They state that " new forces seem to spring out of the ground." The Russians have been marching through Warsaw day and night for five weeks without a break. It is estimated that four million troops have passed through the city. PRIVATIONS OF FLYING PEOPLE. COPENHAGEN, 29th November. Nervousness in Berlin is increasing. Official reports deal with news several days old. It is rumoured that the German armies in Poland are retreating at ' several points. Thousands of fugitives, mostly of the Slav nationalities, are fleeing along the roads in East Prussia, Posen and Silesia, suffering terrible privations. Hundreds of children have died from lack of milk, and many thousand wounded are arriving by rail at Posen, Breslau, and Berlin. THE TRANSFER OF TROOPS TO POLAND, NOT TO BELGIUM AMSTERDAM, 29th November, Whereas the Germans reported that great reinforcements were being sent to Flanders, it has now been ascertained that all the Belgian railways for many nights and days have been monopolised in transporting troops to Poland. LONDON, 28th November. A Dutch newspaper reports a great withdrawal of Germans from Belgium 1 towards Poland. AUSTRIANS ABANDON CZERNOWITZ (Received* November 30, 9 a.m.) PETROGRAD, 29th November. The Austrians have abandoned Czernowitz. The Russians occupied the town after a fierce bombardment. CjDzernowitz is the capital of Bukowina, and is in the extreme east of Hun- , garjfj about twenty miles north-wost of the southern end of the Russo-Hun- ' ganan frontier.] UTILISING THE DANUBE RUSSIAN REGIMENTS IN SERVIA (Times and Sydney Sun Service!.) (Received November 30, 8 a.m.) LONDON, 29th November. It is reported that fifteen Russian regiments and seventy barges of ammunition and stores have arrived at Radujevatz, on the Danube, in Servia. [Radujevatz is a town on the Danube, a few miles from the point where Servia, Bulgaria, and Rumania meet. For Russian forces to have traversed the river thus far, tho consent, or at least the indifference, of Bulgaria and Rumania must have been secured, although the river is nominally an international waterway.] NORTHERN AUSTRIA^ IN A PANIC ULTIMATUM TO SERVIA MADE IN GERMANY (Times and Sydney Sun Services.) (Received November 30, 8 a.m.) LONDON, 29th November. A trustworthy traveller from Vienna says that there is panic over the whole of Northern Austria. The people declare that the ultimatum to Servia (which led to the war) was made in Germany. Austria adopted Germany's / scheme, on the assurance that it would be carried out without war. The Austrians wish for peace, and are willing to yield Galicia. • _ The Polish Party demands the surrender of Cracow before bombardment, in order to spare the city.