RUSSIANS RESISTING ALL ALONG THE LINE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16022, 14 September 1915, Page 7

RUSSIANS RESISTING ALL ALONG THE LINE.

ENEMY'S BLOWS BEING WARDED OFF FROM DYTNSK.

SKIDEL HELD AFTER CAPTURE AND RECAPTURE.

Peteograd, September 12. An official communique states : 'A series of German attacks in the direction of Dvinsk were repulsed.

'• Between the Sventa. and Vilna strong forces of the enemy opened a vigorous offensive. Eastward of Vilkcmir the enemy is advancing on the Dvinsk Road and neighbouring roads, 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 Chirvinty, their general direction being from Vilkomir towards Svientziany, 50 miles northeast of Vilna.

"We repulsed repeated attacks on the Ozery-Skidel front, 15 miles east of Grodno- Skidel passed from hand to hand, and finally, after a brilliant assault by one of our battalions, Skidel remained in our hands. Our cavalry, aided by infantry— dislodged the Germans from trenches southward of Skidel—eagerly pursued the enemy, and a desperate fight followed along the River Zelvianka, southward of the Xiemen. A battery was entirely destroyed. Thereafter we easily stopped attacks. Near Zelva, despite. asphyxiating . gases, we repelled 'a series of assaults, and maintained our positions on the right bank of the Zelvianka, after completely clearing the enemy from the whole of this bank.

" We repulsed the enemy from Rozhany to Rovno, in the south. Austrian attacks were resumed on both banks of the Oryn, northward of Rovno. We repulsed the enemy on the right bank, despite the use of poisonous gases. Several detachments were destroyed by our fire.

" We broke the enemy's obstinate opposition in the Tarnopol region on Saturday- Prisoners state that the newly-formed 6th Battalion of Chasseurs was entirely destroyed. The enemy fled, leaving 39 officers and 2900 men in our hands. A company of motor quickfirers actively helped us. The enemy retreated towards the Dniester. We repelled furious attacks southward of Tarnopol. and expelled the enemy from Tioust, capturing 800 prisoners;"....,!.""!,: " Summing up the situation, it may be said that the entire AustroGerman forces from one side to the other are striving to strike a decisive blow.'

Great indignation has been caused in Russia by photographs showing Cossack prisoners harnessed to ploughs in Germany. . .

A number of Germans who were captured at Novitrok have : succumbed to the effects of German asphyxiating shells. •-...■ , ■..*,.'-?-

Flotillas of German barges are continually bringing . cargoes of shells up the Niemen to Kovno, and the ammunition is then taken to th? front by motor-lorries. ~ C^v-1~,

Dvinsk, towards which the Germans are striving to advance, (is an "important fortress north and east of Vilna, on the Dwina River. It consists of four separate —the fortress on a meadow on the right bank of tie Dwina, two suburbs, and the town of Griva, on the glacis of the fortress.-' -It" is the principal strategic position for the defence,of the river. ; ■ . »VA ,\- Vilkomir is four miles north-east of Kovno. ~ * .*" *:X ,