FALL OF PRZEMYSL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3195, 9 June 1915, Page 31

FALL OF PRZEMYSL.

RETAKEN BY THE AUS- ~ TRSAHS. AMSTERDAM, June 3. An official report from Vienna states: “ Since 3.30 a.ra. on Thursday Przemysl has again been in our possession.”

THE FALL EXPLAINED

BERLIN, June 3.

The capture of Przemysl was due to the fall of three permanent works on the northern front. The newly-created fortifications were quite unable to resist the heaviest Austrian artillery. The Russians brought up their troops, munitions, and guns into the fortress while the railway and the military road to Lemberg was not under fire. When the Germans and Austrians shelled the railway and road the Russians precipitately removed men and provisions.

RUSSIAN REPORT. PETROGRAD, June 3,

Official: The enemy bombarded Przemysl with 16in guns. The principal attack was from the north front on Forts 10 and 11, which the Austrians had almost demolished before their surrender of the fortress in March.

We repulsed the attacks, hut the enemy captured several of our guns, which were fired till the enemy were almost'at the muzzle, the last shell being then spent. Between Lysmenitza and Stryj (southeast of Przemysl) the enemy concentrated much heavy artillery and large forces in a stubborn attack. They achieved some success. We took part of the enemy’s position on the right bank of the Bystritza.

AUSTRIAN OFFICIAL REPORT

VIENNA, June 4,

A Vienna official report states that the Germans stormed the last of the Russian positions north of Przemysl last Wednesday night. They entered from the north. Our Tenth Corps entered from the west and south a few hours later.

Our attack upon the Allies’ sector north of Stryj is progressing successfully.

FIERCE HAND-TO-HAND FIGHTING LONDON, June 3.

Tiro Daily Chronicle’s Petrograd correspondent states that, unable to continue his advance on the right bank of the San or get astride of the Lemberg-Przemysl road, General von Mackensen left his main force to hold the trenches while he withdrew a large detachment before a direct attack on the Przemysl forts. The attackers were strengthened by troops from Marwitz’s army, south-east of Przemysl. Under cover of their heavy artillery the Germans on Sunday advanced to assault

the north-western and western forts on a 20-mile front. They moved down a ravine from Makowice to Fort No. 11, where they were checked. The Germans approached the most westerly fort by a forest of paths, breaking the entanglements, and charged over the fosses to the concrete forts. A fierce hand-to-hand fight ensued, wherein both sides used their bayonets and butt-ends. The situation -was serious on Monday afternoon.

RUSSIAN FRONT LENGTHENED. PETROGRAD, June 4

Official: As Przemysl, owing to the condition of its artillery and the works which the Austrians destroyed before capitulation, was admittedly incapable of defending itself, its retention only served cur purpose until our possession of positions surrounding the town northward facilitated our operations on the San. Whe<n the enemy captured Jaroslav and Lcdymno, and spread along the right bank, the maintenance of those positions forced us to fight on an unequal and very difficult front, increasing it by 22 miles, and subjecting us to the concentrated fire of the enemy’s numerous heavy guns.

THE FIGHTING AT STRYJ,

BERLIN, June 3,

Official: The Russian counter-attacks against our offensive columns east of Jaroslav completely failed. Von Linsingen’s army advanced on Zydaczow, north-east of Stryj. The booty won in the battle of Stryj amounts to 60 officers, 12,175 men, 14 cannon, and 35 machine guns.

GERMAN ACTIVITY IN POLAND. PETROGRAD, June 4.

The enemy’s activity on the Warsaw front has been revived. They resumed the offensive under cover of gas, but the Russians are well provided with respirators.

FIGHTING IN GALICIA

PETROGRAD, June 4

Official: The battle in Galicia was continued on Tuesday with undiminished desperation along the whole of the VistulaNadvorn front. Our troops on the left bank of the Lower San pierced the enemy’s line on Wednesday, and captured a fortified position in the Rudnik district, where we took 4000 prisoners. Our offensive along the whole front to the mouth of the Wisloda is developing successfully.

FURTHER RUSSIAN SUCCESSES

PETROGRAD, Juno 4,

Official: We almost completely annihilated the second, third, and fourth Tyrol regiments westward of Rubnik.

The enemy on the Bzura on Tuesday used gas largely, but the wind changing, blew it back on to the enemy's trenches. A large number of Germans emerged, and ran crouching along the wire, in front of our lire, which decimated them.

FRENCH ADVANCE.

PARIS, June 3

The French, north of Souchez, on the road to Aix-Noulette, drove the enemy out of the woods after a stiff hand-to-hand encounter, and are now advancing on Souchez from three sides.

The penetration of the “Labyrinth” is necessarily slow, and the loss of life is heavy, hut the reduction of this stronglyfortified position is essential for a further French advance on Vimy and Lens. A communique says: Very violent infantry actions have developed east of Notre Dame de Lorette, but the situation is unchanged. Eight hundred Germans have been taken prisoner at the Labyrinth since May 31, among whom were nine officers and 50 non-coms. Two machine guns were also captured.

FIGHTING ON THE YSER. AMSTERDAM, June 4. Heavy fighting continues along the Yser. The Germans are strenuously attempting to advance near Ypres and Dixmnde, but the Allies’ line i.s apparently' impregnable. Many were killed and wounded on both sides. It is impossible to remove the dead for burial.

The Allies’ airmen are daily bombing the German positions on the Belgian coast, with considerable damage to the enemy’s immediate rear. A PATHETIC DIARY. LONDON, June 4. The French “Eye-witness” supplies notes from the diary of a German captain whose body was amongst 4000 found on the slopes at Notre Dame de Lorette. It stated: “I am allotted an impossible task —holding with a weak force Ablain, whiob is in ruins; the route over which I am directed is impracticable, owing to confusion in sectors and the guide being unable to lead. With each falling shell some soldiers decamped.” The last page of the diary says: “Without support for days. Remnants of trenches destroyed. Caught like a rat in a trap. Nerves gone. Fire of the enemy indescribable.”

RED CROSS WORK IN BELGIUM. LONDON, June 4

The Press Bureau reports that the Belgian Government strongly protests against General von Bissing dissolving the Belgian Red Cross Central Committee and confiscating the funds and archives. The International Committee of the Red Gross of Geneva endorses the protest, and against

von Biasing’s demand that the Red Croat, should support an institution for assisting women, which is outside the Red Cross Society’s scope.

[Kurna is a town about 10 miles northwest of Basra, where there was recently severe fighting, to the advantage of tha British. It is situated on the Shatt-el-Arab River, which flows into the head of the Gulf of Persia.]

THE CROWN PRINCE. LONDON, June 3. Official; Twenty-nine French aviators dropped 178 bombs on the Grown Prince’s headquarters, and many of them struck their objective. The airmen also dropped several thousand darts. The aircraft returned safely.