ON THE EASTERN FRONT.

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 2788, 9 August 1915, Page 2

ON THE EASTERN FRONT.

' A TRIBUTE TO RUSSIA. ~ London, August 7. Professor Bernard Pares, who has returned to London, considers the Germans are absolutely inferior in morale and strategy. He was deeply impressed by the .Russian soldiers-' eour- '■ age, faith, and endurance. Russia was at her splendid best in this war. Though Professor Pares wont anywhere ho liked on the Russian front, he saw nothing bestial or brutal. The Russians fought almost too humanely, ' and their kindness to their prisoners wore down the German sulkiness. The men were extraordinarily gentle and unselfish towards each other, and showed wonderful courage and passionate devotion to their officers. The German troops were brutal and arrogant, and often drunk. . There was probably not a single case of drunkenness in the whole Russian line, [Professor Pares is Professor of Russian History, Language and Literature at the University of Liverpool. He is secretary to the Anglo-Russian Committee in London. When in Russia he is'the accredited correspondent of the Spectator and tlie Westminster Review, and is recognised as one of the ablest authorities oil Russian affairs.] OBJECT OF RUSSIAN STRATEGY. Potiograrf, August 7. . Although Russia hopes that the German attempt to aqueeze the Russians between the forces advancing on the Narew, and the Cholin-Lublin front have definitely failed, German strategy has a much more ambitious scheme of the same kind in view. This was planned in advance. In the event of the Russians reaching the Niemenburji line the Germans, occupying Iliga, would be favourably placed for working down the Dwina and taking the new Russian position in the rear. The movement would require enormous troops and manoeuvring over a vast area, and would be liable to many mishaps, but the best military opinion in Petrograd refuses to regard the danger lightly. Much depends on the fighting on the extreme German left. The Germans are employing 350,000 between Kovno and the Dwina. If they break through there before the Russians aro clear of the No row Vistula-Bug area a difficult situation will arise. SANGUINARY FIGHTING. Onicial.—The enemy is attacking the first-line positions of the fortress on the left bank of the Nieinori, near Kovno. Our heavy batteries are vigorously bombarding the enemy near Ossowieez. At dawn the attack developed into intense fire, and the enemy launched clouds of asphyxiating-, ' gases and assaulted the fortress posi- * tions, carrying works hear Osua, our fire and counter-attack dislodging the enemy. Sanguinary fighting is proceeding on the Narew. On the road to Ostroff the enemy, after desperate encounters, increased the ground occupied. We repulsed' attacks in the region of Serotsk. Heavy artillery on the night of August 5-6 successfully repulsed the enemy's pontoon parties on the Vistula. ASSURANCE OF POLISH LOYALTY. Petrograd, August 7. At the opening session of the Council of the Empire, M. Bobrinski said that the greater Russia's misfortunes tho more intense grows her invincible resolution to wage the war to the end. The day of victory will sound. Russia does not say good-bye to War- . saw, but au revoir. M. Chebeko, a Polish member, said the Poles \vould not forget Russia's sympathy in their time of grief. They would struggle with Russia to the last breath and would never betray the Slav flag, Amsterdam, August 6. The Tyd's Cologne correspondent states that the Austro-Germans will (.make an announcement, synchronising with the meeting of the Reichstag, creating an independent Poland. By this they expect to secure the sympathies of the Poles and make Poland a buffer State. No King will be appointed at present, but a Polish ernbr with a Council, where Germans, Austrians and Poles will sit. TREATMENT OF A JAPANESE Perograd, August 8. A Japanese volunteer who reached Yilna had both of his ears cut off.by the Germans. A SEASONED AVIATOR. (Received Aug 9, 10.20 a.m.) Paris, August 8. An aviator, named Nongcsser brought-down a Taube at Nancy. Nongesser has participated in fiftythree air raids. " . THE FRENCH REPORT. A communique states: Grenade fights are proceeding round Souchez. After seveal days' fighting in the Aγgoune the Germane penetrated one of A>ur works at the salient at Fon- . Itaine Houyette.CCounte r attacks ex- ' pelled (them, the Germans only re- . taining a listening post frontwards of our foremost line. The Germans, m a night attack at Filliinorte, gained a rooting in our trenches, but were immediately driven out, except for a space of thirty metres. Wβ repulsed an extremely violent attack at Lingekopf, with heavy losses. In front of.one of our companies there wore over 100 Germans hanging on the barbed wire. THE GERMAN TERSION. Amsterdam, Aug. 8. xV German communique states: We repulsed a hand grenade atftack at Souchez and counter-attacks against tthe trenches we captured on Saturday in West Argonne. Our forces on the Narew are approachling the road to Lomza, Ostrow, and Wyszkow. They are meeting with stubborn resistance at some places. W 7 e reached the Bug, southward of Wyszkow, and occupied Sierook. We captured some fortifications on the Novogeorgevsk front, and gained the east bank of the Vistula, near Warsaw. The Russians continue to retreat before Yon Woyrsch's pressure. General Mackenseii's loft wing, between the Vistula and the Bug, drove the Russians northwards towards Wieprz. The right wing continues the battle. GERMANY'S PLAN. Lom'ion, August 7. The Daily Mail's Petrograd correspondent says: The-German plan was to force the Russians to fight, and, failing that, to surround them. Yon Hindenburg's hope was to drive the Narew army southwards, and the troops in, the south northwards, and then catch both by joining the German and Austrian armies to tho eastward of them. That plan may now bo said to have failed, but .German strategy has another huge enveloping movement proceeding, which is planned to envelop the new line further eastward by oecunjirig Riga. The Germans would them place themselves in a favourable position for working south along the Dwina. At ..the same time the other half of tho pincers would begin to enclose the Russians from the south. The Vossische Zeitung says: We ■ have now reached the result for which we long prepared, ihe Austro-German plan of a great offensive on both banks of the Vistula, and the rolling up of the Russian front from a mlitary viewpoint was important. With a shorter front we are now able to form several strong lines in the rear, which will secure our east front against all Russian attempts, nvhile freeing important troops for action elsewhere. Official.—We victoriously repulsed tlio Germans between the Dwina and tlie Nienien. There -was desperate .fighting on Wednesday night and Thursday on the left bank of tho Xarew. On the Rojaui, Ostrolanka, and Ostrow roads our counter-attacks held up the enemy on an exbended front, where volent fighting Avae continued. All has been quiet in the middle Vistula district since our crossing. We evacuated AVarsaw to save its bombardment. Tho enemy made fruitless attempts to extend their occupation zone, which continues only in the Macievitze region. After stubborn battles east of the TraunikiVLodava road, the enemy concentrated the fire of hi.s massed artillery, and we retired a little to tho northwards. RUSSIANS HOLDING TIGHT. Petrograd, August 7. There is an exodus at Riga of 10.000 daily. The British Consulate has been left under American protection. It is anticipated that the Russians will defeud Novo Georgievsc to the last.

HILL 60. ■-. STORY-OF DEATHLESS HEROISM. HOW THE HILL WAS TAKEN AND LOST. GERMANY'S FOUL CRIME. London, August 8. Mr Valontiuo Williams, war correspondent, in tii© Standard, gives tho hrst complete account of tho 13th Brigade s action at Hill. UU. Ho eiiys: — It is a story of innumerable feats of deathless hcrousin and euleudui tenacity, 'beginning in a, lino feat of arms and ending m Lho asphyxiation of gallant men —a crime so foul that none who saw tho result will over shako the hand of a Gorman again. Tho Germans held the upper slopes ifud the summit. Tho British trenches ran on the lower slopes. They decided to iniiio tho summit and to send infantry to oocupy tho orators and capture tho lr.ll. The Ist West Xoiijts and the 2nd Scottish Borderers manned the trenches, awaiting the explosion of tho mines,, which were timed for 7 o'clock in the evening of the 17th April. Tho live, mines exploded punctually, while the French, Belgian, and our own guns opened a road to all German positions in the vicinity. When tho last mine wen,t up Major Joslin led the West Kents orer tho parapet. The Germans were completely surprised, and hastily quitted tho ruined trenches, which wore raked by machine guns. Those, who stood their ground were bayoneted or driven to their-communication, trenches. By 7.20 the hill was ours, with few casualties. The Germans early in tho morning opened a bombardment, wherein the Borderers relieved the West Kents. Major Joslin was killed. There was a terrible bombardment the night long, but these astounding men sang choruses while high explosives were bursting. • The Wellington Regiment relieved their comrades in the morning, but the Germans, under cover of the merciless shells, crept closer and closer. By noon on the 18 th they recaptured the hill. To eavo <the trench a British coun-ter-attack was decided upon. The Wellingtons, as full of fight as ever, led the way, and the Yorkshire Light Infantry followed. The B Company, on tho Wellingtons' right, reached the trenches . ,with slight casualties. 0 Company, in the centre, charged over the open ground. Only Captain Barton and eleven men reached the trenches, but with their bayonets routed the enemy. The D Company on the left lost all its officers, but gained their goal. Hill 60 was again ours. Many fine deeds were done, many distinctions wore gained, but tho 13th Brigade were exhausted and were sent to their billets. The S.urreys, Devons, and Dorsete wero next sent to the hill, and held on till the early hours, of May 1, when a low, greenish cloud came rolling over the hilltop. The Dorset* were wholly unprepared, and in a minute or #wo tho gas had the men in its grip, slowly choking them to death. As the Germans swarmed out Of the trenches, the Doraets, liaH-aephyxiated and scrambling on the parapet, held them bay. When night fell the Devons relieved-, the Dorfiots, stumbling over many gallant men who Avero lying in tho fields and ditches. A second gas attack was made on the morning of May 5. It was a warm spring day, with gentle breezes. The Wellingtons were holding the hill, and when the gas had done its work Captain Robins, staggered to the rear and gasped, "The Duke's have been gassed; the men are all dead; I believe I was the last to leave tho hill. They were splendid." Captain Robins died that night. The Germans did not advanoe. remembering their lesson of the firsft of May, but the siUiation seemed so critical that the Devons beat up every J reserve, even the cooks, and lined the I trenches. The men described the raijl- j. way cutting on the side of the hill J as so thick with dead and wounded ) that they had to pick their way. } Tho scene made witnesses sick with "horror, and filled them with fierceanger againet the fiends who had perpetrated the crime. A counter-attack was ordered for 10 o'clock the same night, and was entrusted to the West Kente and Borderers. It failed, against a tremendous bombardment, shell-holes and fragments of barbed wire. The leading files were mown down /instantly. Another counterattack was made next morning with the Yorkshire •* Light Infantry and Irish Rifles. . They fought fiercely against the same obstacles, but failed. Wβ finally retired to the lower elopes of the Mil. "It was a failure, but glorious."