RUSSIA

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144777, 6 September 1915, Page 3

RUSSIA

REPORTED RETREAT UN GALICIA. AMSTERDAM, Sept. 4. An Austrian communique states-In East Galicia the enemy is everywhere retreating to the Sereth line. TOTAL AUSTRIAN LOSSES. PARIS, Sept. 4. The Temps estimates the AustroHungarian losses to August X at two and a half millions and the Italian losses at 104,000. INVASION OF SOUTH RUSSIA PROPOSED. TIMES AND SYDNEY SUN SERVICES. - .(Received Sept. 6, 8.0 a.m.) PARIS, Sept. 5. Copenhagen alleges that the Austrians are contemplating an invasion of Southern Russia from Eastern Galicia, the object being tho reaching of Odessa, and Sebastopol. UNIVERSAL RUSSIAN DESTRUCTION. TIMES AND SYDNEY BUN SERVICES. (Received Sept. 6, 8.0 a.m.) , LONDON, Sept. 5. German correspondents who visited Bielstock state that in the valley the glare of the flames stretches for miles, spreading huge black clouds of smoke over the town, which is not damaged as elsewhere. The Russians took the bells and carillons on all tho church towers. Wooden scaffolds were seen by which tho bells were dismantled. RETREAT ALMOST ENDED. THE CAPTURE OF OSOWIEC. PETROGRAD. Sept. 4. It is officially announced tuat the Russian retirement is almost completed, establishing more or less stable positions along tho wholo front, mostly in country unsuitable for the German war machine, which will be hampered by lengthening of communications and the imminence of rains. A communique states; On the RigaDvinsk front, near the village of Linden, de retired to the right bank of the river, after a stubborn fight. ' Tho bridge was set on fire. Between Ayenta and Vilna the enemy fiercely resisted our offensive. We captured thirteen machine-guns. The enemy on Thursday night threw part of a force across the Niemen near Grodno. There was a furious conflict in tho northern and western suburbs. Slight engagements accompanied our occupation of new positions on the Sereth River. Major-General Byosovsky, commandant at Osowiec, has reported to the Czar that'after repulsing a four" days’ assault at the end of 1914, the garrison, in February,' carried the fightmg into advanced positions, with-the object of gaining time to prepare a more effective defence. The German sixteeninchers demolished nearly all the works, but the infantry assaults in February and March failed, and the Germans were forced to entrench and bring up numerous heavy guns. The lull lasted until August \ 7, when tho Germans dropped six hundred balloons filled with asphyxiating gas on .the fortress. The garrison were nearly alb poisoned and had to yield ground, but, animated oy their officers, with superhuman efforts they drove back the enemy with the bayonet. The Gormans on August 9 dropped twelve hundred balloons. The garrison were exhausted and almost incapable, of effort, and wore ordered to evacuate after razing the fortress. Tho Czar, addressing a conference of business men of Russia, called to discuss an organisation for the supply and manufacture of munitions, said: "We require a more speedy equipment of the army with munitions, which is the only thing our,valiant troops want in order to step the invasion and bring success again to our arms. Parliament has pronounced in favour of the war until victory is complete, and this is the voice of tho whole of Russia. The -resolution implies the need for greater intensity of effort. Wo have a great task, that shall concentrate all of the country’s human effort. Nothing must distract our thoughts and strength from the single goal, which is to drive the enemy from our borders.” GERMAN AND AUSTRIAN REPORTS. BERLIN, Sepf. 3. A communique states that General von Hindenburg’s cavalry stormed a fortified bridgehead at Lannewaden, north-west of Friedrichstadt. The Russians north-west of Vilna attempted to stop our advance, but. failed with unusually heavy losses. Our troops 'near Grodno by quick action succeeded in crossing the Niemen, and occupied Grodno after street fighting, in which 400 prisoners were taken. General von Gallowitz, on the road to Alekszyce, south of Odelsskswislocz, broke down the resistance of the Russian rearguards, taking over- 3000 prisoners and eighteen machine-guns. General von Mackensen has reached Jasiolda. near Selec. General von Bothamer is approaching the Sereth district, fighting without interruption. We stormed the bridgehead at Friedrichstadt, taking 3325 ‘ prisoners. Tho enemy on both sides of tho Vilia made repeated unsuccessful attacks. , The whole fortress and forts of Grodno are in German hands. The Russians are retreating eastwards and are being pursued. We captured six heavy guns and 2700 prisoners The enemy have evacuated their position at tho Niemen, southward of Grodno. Princo Leopold is fighting for the swamp and narrows north and north-east of Pruzana. The enemy is still resisting General Mackeusen near Berez Karkuska. LATEST RUSSIAN REPORT. STRONG RESISTANCE TO GERMANS, (Received Sept. 6, 5.5 a.m.) PETROGRAD, Sept. 3. The Czar has left for the front. The Russians at Linden crossed to the left bank of the Dwina on the night of September 2 and drove back the Germans from the river after fierce fighting. Owing to tho enemy being reinforced by men and artillery near Friedrichstadt we withdrew to tho right bank. Fighting continues between the Sventa and Vilia Rivers. There was fierce fighting at Grodno; On the morning of September 3 we entered ,iha-town and -captured -oight machine-;

gnus, thus seeming the unmolested retirement of the neighbouring troops, whose position formed an overgrown salient m our front. Our counter-offensive on the right bank of the Styr was successful. We also threw back the enemy in the Radzivilow region. Fighting on the 2nd and 3rd between the Derajno and the Dniester, we took prisoner sixty officers and 3500 men and captured some ma-chine-guns. Our successes on the Strypa on August 13 were chiefly due to armoured motor-cars nicknamed “Rushing Victory.” The crews of the cars, by their self-sacrificing action, tlnlfw the Germans into the greatest disorder and inflicted heavy losses.