GREAT SPY ACHIEVEMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 12 May 1930, Page 9

GREAT SPY ACHIEVEMENT

CAUSE OF RUSSIAN DISASTER. What is described as the greatest spy achievement of the war, explaining at the same time Hindenburg’s success in encircling Samsonoff’s Russian army at the battle of the Masurian Lakes, is detailed in a book by Colonel Emil Seeliger, entitled, “Spies and Traitors,” published in Berlin. . The publisher guarantees the accuracy of the book’s contents. Petrosvk, a former officer of the Russian genera] staff, describes how Samsonoff had received reports of a German advance, and therefore decided to order the cessation of his own army’s advances. When he was on’the point of dictating this order, an airman landed close to his headquarters, and a staff officer handed him a letter purporting to come from the Grand Duke Nicholas. . This expressed surprise at the slow advance of the army, and added: “The German encircling threats are only factitious operations, and will be held up by Rennenkamipf’B army in the north and by the two Warsaw corps in the south.’* Then followed a command from the Grand Duke that the “break through” should be energetically carried out. * Samsonoff could only reluctantly obey and the inevitable disaster quickly became evident. The Grand Duke raged, •and Samsonoff pointed out that he had been commanded to attack.

Investigation disclosed that no such order had ever been given, and the unfortunate Samsonoff committed suicide. Petrovsk concludes: “It was the most prodigious espionage achievement of JJl® whole world-war.”