ENEMY STILL RETREATING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3249, 21 June 1916, Page 25

ENEMY STILL RETREATING.

PETROGRAD, June 18. Northward of Leruberg the enemy is falling back on the strongly defended line between Vladimir, Voiynsk, Sokal, and Stoyanoff, to which the Germans are hurrying reinforcements. The Russians are advancing towards Lemberg on both sides of the Dubno-Lemberg railway. Their storming of tbi r m!!ss of formidable positions •.' t!ic flooded River Pliashcvka, a 1.-ibutary of the Styr, flanker I sries of 10 lakes and

supported by fire from the heights and rear, was a wonderfully fine feat, which with the capture of Rostok Forest, southward of the Lower Potchaieff, decides the fate of the whole Kremenctz region. In order to escape from General Sayhaioff's northern and southern claws the enemy hastily retreated westwards towards Brody, leaving another section of the Lemberg rail= way in Russian hands. Correspondents eulogise the gallantry of the Russian officers, who are invariably in the forefront of the at. tacks, while the colour bearers headed some of the fiercest and most sanguinary charges against the Lutzk defences The evacuation of Lutzk was a panic-stricken flight. Infantry, cavalry, guns, and hospital and supply trains were inextricably mixed, all strug= gling with an absence of orders towards Torchln. Portion of the mass took the Charokoff road, but quickly retreated on learning that the Russians had enveloped Lutzk from the south. A Russian armoured car detachment before Lutzk dashed through gun, machine gun, and rifle fire, and broke the enemy's line and scattered the reserves, enabling the infantry to occupy the trenches and town almost without casualties. Several French prisoners who were employed in building officers' summer barracks on the Styr were rescued. The battle north and westward of Buczacz covers a 12 miles front. The Austro=Germans are evacuating the towns and villages southward of Pripet. The left bank of the Pripet is strongly fortified. The region of Czernowitz is the scene of furious fighting. The town is almost demolished, but the enemy is still clinging to the suburbs. The Russians have nearly surrounded them, inter* posing a barrier and preventing the garrison from functioning with the Austrians at Bukovina.

ENEMY REINFORCEMENTS. PETROGRAD, June 18. Two German army corps are hastening to Galicia and two Bulgarian divisions towards Bukovina. The Austrians near Alyka abandoned a badly-damaged armoured train. A wounded Russian officer relates that the Germans in attempting to cheek General Rrussiloff's advance, 'employed their favourite battering ram stroke, and threw forward three divisions, the Russian artillery smashing them successively. A GERMAN STATEMENT. AMSTERDAM, June 18. A German communique states that the fighting has developed in the Stochod and Styr sectors against General Linsingen. Portions of General Bothmer's troops are battling northward of Przevloka. COPENHAGEN, June 16. The German newspapers state that the Russians, after a three-hours' bombardment, destroyed the strong Austro-Ger-man lines north of Baronovitch. Fifty thousand Russians then attacked, but advancing too far were compelled to fall back two miles. The newspapers add that the AustroGermans are now strongly reinforced, and have taken up a new position. A Zurich correspondent at the Austrian headquarters reports that the fighting north of Baronovitch developed with unparalleled severity. CLOAKING THE TRUTH. PARIS, June 16. The newspapers of Vienna are forbidden to publish the Russian communiques, and the public is without news except for the Austrian communiques, which affirm that the Austro-Hungarian losses are small, while the Russian losses are overwhelming. The increasing influx of refugees from Lemberg is interpreted as showing that the official statements are mendacious. A NEW EXPLOSIVE. ROME, June 16. The newspapers here state, from Russian sources, that the effectiveness of the Russian artillery in its present offensive is due to the great Japanese guns and Japanese shells charged with a new explosive, the destructiveness of which surpasses all expectations. ONLY A BEGINNING. LONDON, June 16. Colonel Repington writes as follows 'in The Times: " The Russian advance in Volhynia. Galicia, and the Bnkowina is only a beginning. Their armies in the south represent only one-third of their foToes; and when the other two-thirds come into play the Austrian and German staffs at Lemberg and Vilna will be sending each other very disquieting despatches. "It is unlikely that the German forces operating in Russia can send effective succour to the Austrian? All the German divisions on that front have been drawn on for forces for the Balkans and for Verdun. Marshal von Hindenburg has been sucked dry for the same reason. We shall now fee whether any fresh divisions will come from the interior of Germany. If they have none there In reserve, and if the Russians operate in the north, there are awkward times ahead for Germany. " We must not fi\" our eyes exclusively on General Brussiloff. The eastern theatre affects Inrro areas. Tli« Allies are movincr at last, and ok far if we wHi to embrace the '. I< horizon, which will soon be aflai"

CZERNOWITZ CAPTURED. PETROGRAD, June 18. A Reuter message states: —Official: Czernowitz has been captured by the Russians. A communique states : Despite the enemy's resistance, marked by many counter-atacks, which were all successfully repulsed, we are closely pressing the enemy in various directions. General Letehitsky on Saturday afternoon carried by assault the Czernowitz bridgehead on the left bank of the Pruth After a desperate fight for the river fords, the enemy having blown up the bridges, we occupied Czernowitz. ENEMY OFFENSIVES CHECKED. PETROGRAD, June 19. A communique states : We are pursuing the enemy, who are retreating towards the Carpathians. We captured ICOO prisoners at Czer - nowitz, and captured some guns in the town. We repulsed desperate counterattacks on the Styr, the attacking forces including Germans brought from the French front. We repulsed a furious German attack at Suidinki, on the north bank of the Stockhod. A Cossack regiment, by a flanking charge, captured many and sabred a great number, the rest making off in a disorderly flight. General Kaledine, between the sth and the 17th inst., captured 1369 officers and 70,000 soldiers, 83 guns, 236 machine guns, and an enormous quantity of war material. We checked an offensive on the right bank of the Strypa, north of Buczacz.

ANOTHER GERMAN REPORT. LONDON, June 18. A German communique states: General Linsingen repulsed attacks on both sides of Kolki. We captured 3500 Russians on the sector between Kovel and LVutzk. Russian attacks northward of Przewloki collapsed with heavy losses under our curtain fire.