BOLSHEVIK DEFEATS.

New Zealand Herald, Issue 17266, 16 September 1919, Page 7

BOLSHEVIK DEFEATS.

RETREAT FROM SIBERIA.

ENTIRE POSITION IN PERIL.

ARMOURED TRAINS IN ACTION By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright. Reuter. LONDON, Sept. 14. Mr. Chas. Wilton, the Times correspondent at Omsk, says that three armies commanded by General Diterichs were engaged in Admiral Koltchak's anti-Bolshevik offensive, and for twelve days adhered to the timetable of their offensive. The Red Army was outgeneralled and beaten, and will probably lose their entire position in Western Siberia if the weather favours, another offensive in the next fortnight. Sweeping cavalry charges smashed the enemy's rear at several poinds. Armoured trains rushed the station near Kurgan and captured a whole Bolshevik regiment. Elsewhere the enemy maintains a semblance of retreating in order, despite very hard knocks. The officers under General Diterichs say that the fighting spirit of the infantry and cavalry equals that of the best Russian troops of 1914.

_ General Michael Diterichs is Admiral Koltchak'e chief commander. No soldier hag had a more varied career. He held very important commands and staff appointments when barely 30. The mobilisation of the Russian army at tiie outbreak of the war, which was «uch a splendid success, was largely his work. He was successively chief of staff to General Radko'-Dimitrieff and. director of military operations on the 60uth-western front.. The great victories of Alexieff, Ivanoff, and Brusiloff were prepared by General IHterichs. At his own request he went to Macedonia to command the Russian division and was recalled thence in July, 1917, to receive ,the offer of the Ministry of War from M. Kerensky, which he declined. Thereafter he joinea headquarters as director of military operations under Komiloff, Alexieff, and Dukhonin. Narrowly escaping death, he left Mohileff. thanks to the assistance of the British military representative, Colonel MaitlandEdwards, and lived for some weeks in Aieff, working as a labourer to support his family. There he was discovered by the Czecho-Slovaka and invited by them to assume command of the troops proceeding to the Far East. He earned out has task brilliantly in face of the greatest difficulties. The military credit of this achievement belongs almost entirely to him, though other names figured more largely. The connection of his family with the Czechoslovaks dates back many centuries when his Czech ancestors left their homes to escape German oppression, and took service in Russia. General Ditorichs is now only 45 years of age.

BATTLE FOE TSARITSIN.

ENEMY ATTACK BROKEN. A. and N.Z. LONDON, Sept. 14. The War Office states that the right wing of General Wrangel's volunteers during the past week was engaged in the stubborn and successful defence of Tsaritsin. The Bolsheviks directed combined offensives from the north, east, and south. The main attack was delivered from the north, and was supported by an armed flotilla on the Volga. The battle continued for three days, and the enemy was heavily repulsed. . Regarding the reported fighting between General Petlura's and General Denikin's troops at Kieff, satisfactory arrangements have been reached for the avoidance of mutual hostilities and the continued prosecution of operations against the Bolsheviks.

PEACE NEGOTIATIONS.

OFFER TO BALTIC STATES.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (E«cd. 10 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 14.

A wireless message from Moscow states that the Lettish Government has accepted the Russian Soviet Government's offer to negotiate peace. A similar proposal has been made to the Finnish and Lithuanian Governments.