EASTERN THEATRE

Southland Times, Issue 17784, 13 July 1916, Page 5

EASTERN THEATRE

THE STOKHOE BARRIER. HINDENBERG AT KOVEL. GERMAN EEVICES. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright) (Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, July 12. Keceived July 12, 8.20 p.m. The Chronicle's Petrograd correspondent gives a grim picture of the battle of tiif Pripet Marshes, which has almost concluded. The Russians are now facing the last serious natural barrier, namely the Stokhod, separating them from Kovel. Mr Perseval Gibbon says that th rough trains running from Brussels to Kovel are pouring along the lines as fast as possible, bringing over more men from Germany’s great reservoirs of flesh and blood. The Russian's latest prisoners include men utterly inexperienced in fighting, who were whirled eastwards, detrained in the wet primeval forest, and tumbled headlong into one of the most desperate battles in history. The latest and most significant reinforcement is Von Hindenbcrg, whom prisoners report to be at Kovel with Linsingen and a galaxy of other generals. The Russians recently captured Bulgarians sent to tiie east front against their will and compelled to advance by a German threat that they would be ma-chine-gunned. The Germans suffered ghastly losses at the village of Kia/.h, attacking repeatedly In dense formation against a withering lire. The Russians’ guns destroyed gas containers, loosing the gas among the Germans, who fell hack in piteous disorder. The slopes were carpeted with corpses. The Austrians lack the Germans’ vicious efficiency. The Austrians attempted to destroy the roads as they retreated, forcing the Russians to advance over quagmires. The Germans improved the dangers of the ghastly swamps by concealing sunken barbed wire in quagmires. The Germans placed mines in the muddy channels, aud even covered miles of ooze with imitation footholds in the hope that it would prove a mantrap for the Russian pursuers. Though these tactics resulted in unimportant losses they exasperated an army which had hitherto been in the habit of taking prisoners daily. A GERMAN TRICK. PETROGRAD, July 11, Received July 12, 5.25 p.m. Russia has not claimed the capture of Pinsk. The German denial is a trick to discredit Russian communiques. AUSTRIAN REPORT. LONDON, July 12. Keceived July 12, 3.25 p.m. Austrian communique : An attack by a superior enemy force at Sokul broke in our entanglements. The enemy vainly endeavoured to bring our masses to a standstill by turning the fire of guns and machine guns upon them. The AustroGerman forces repulsed the enemy at Hupewicezc on the Stokhod after bitter lighting.