Germans Beaten in Poland.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume IV, Issue 367, 13 February 1915, Page 5

Germans Beaten in Poland.

Difficult Situation Admitted. Graphic Penpicture of the Bzura Slaughter. An Awful Night for the Prussians. Enemy Concentrating in East Prussia. [PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.] London, Feb. 12. German war correspondents on the Bzura admit that the situation of the Germans in Poland is very difficult, the Russians often making the most successful counter-attacks. Paris, Feb. 12. OFFICIAL.—Our repulse of the German attacks in Poland seems complete. The Russians inflicted losses exceeding 40,000. .The temperature at night is 8 degrees below zero (Centigrade). “ ‘The fact that the Germans attacked in dense formation because the troops were incapable oi lighting in open order was the principal cause of their unprecedented losses. The British eye-witness with the Russian forces states that the fire of the Russian machine guns cut the solid ranks like a scythe ,and when the fighting was finished piles of the i a lien men lay along the front of the Russian lines. Shrieks rent the air, and under the searchlights the masses could- be seen heaving with the efforts of the wounded to extricate themselves. By two o’clock in the morning all was still. Petrograd, Feb. 12. OFFICIAL.—A very great Russian concentration in Ea>t Prussia is developing an offensive in the direction of Wilkowsyke and Lyck, about 12 miles from the south-west frontier of East Prussia. Our troops are falling back from the Mazurian Lakes, but are holding the enemy. In the Carpathians, we captured the height of Rabe, east of the Lupkow Pass, after a stubborn fight, and took prisoner 1000 men. HAPSBURC SOLDIERS SICK OF WAR. VOLUNTARY SURRENDERS TO SERVIA. London, Feb. 12. “ The Times’ ” correspondent with the Servians says the Hapsburg soldiers are frankly sick of the war. There are 60,000 prisoners of mixed nationalities who prefer captivity in Servia to liberty in Austria. Strong escorts from the battlefield are not needed. In one instance a single Servian soldier marched at the head of 80 prisoners, and presented his papers to the officer at the railway station. The officer counted them and said : ‘‘You’ve 150 here.” The soldier replied : *‘l can’t help it, sir ; the others kept joining on the way.” EVE OF A DECISIVE STRUCCLE. STRATEGIC RUSSIAN RETREAT IN EAST PRUSSIA. London, Feb. 12, 2.45 p.m. Petrograd reports that the fall back of the Russians was necessary’ in order to assure the possibility of re-arranging the troops and effecting greater concentration in order to deal with four new Prussian army corps. This object can be best attained in Russian territory, in shelter of their own fortresses. It is presumed we are on the eve of great operations, which ought definitely’ to decide the struggle in Eastern Prussia. Circumstances demand the strict necessity for keping operations secret. Ufa _ IN THE CARPATHIANS. Following on twenty-two ineffectual attempts, the Germans succeeded in occupying the heights of Koziomoka with a large force after a sanguinary attack, but were dislodged after a fierce bayonet fight, leaving 400 dead. s . FUTILE SORTIES AT PRZEMYSL. The garrison at Przemysl is exhausting itself with vain s*tie-.