SURROUNDED.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7740, 24 June 1916, Page 3

SURROUNDED.

FATE OF PFLANZERS ARMY IN THE BALANCE. ACTIVITY ON THE WEST. FIERCE BOMBARDMENT. To-day's news is not sensational, but continues satisfactory. The Russians appear to have a portion of Pflanzer's army cornered, and it has the alternative of surrendering or crossing into Roumania and being disarmed. Violent artillery activity is reported on the Western front, and the enemy succeeded in exploding a huge mine on the British front. Our casualties are described as ‘' comparatively light,' ’ which may mean anything. Greece is bending the knee to the Entente, much to the disgust of the Germanophile newspapers, which declare the country is being forced into war. Per Press Association—Copyright.

ENEMY’S OFFENSIVE. ON WEST FRONT. AN INTENSE BOMBARDMENT. (Received This I)uy 9 a.m.) PARIS, June 23. The Germans renewed their big offensive by uninterruptedly bombarding all positions on both banks of the Meuse for twenty-four hours. The bombardment of the right hank is interpreted to indicate an effort to capture Forts Souville and Tavannes, and to spare reinforcements for other fronts. COMPLETELY REPULSED. COUNTER ATTACK RECOVERS LOST GROUND. PARIS, June 23. A communique states: A bombardment of extreme violence lasted all day on both banks of the Meuse, especially against Hill No. 304 and Mort Homme and the second lines in the region of Hsnes and Chattaneourt. At 0 in tbe evening an attack between Kill No. 304 and Betbincourt brook was completely repulsed. After grenade action a counter-at-tack enabled us to reoccupy tbe greatest part of tbe ground wherein tbe enemy bad obtained a footing the previous night between Fumin and Clieuois Woods. The bombardment after 0 p.m. resumed an unheard of violence on the front north of Thiaumont, Vaux and Chapitrc Woods ami the sector of Lauffc. ATTACKS THAT FAILED. ENEMY ORGANISATIONS WRECKED. (Received This Duy, 2 p.m.) PARIS, June 23. A communique states:— Our artillery wrecked enemy organisations on the Belgian dunes. There were three German attacks between Maissonde, Champagne, and Montt'etu, and several north-east of Buttedcmesnil and against Hill 304, and tbe left bank of tbe Mouse. All failed. BRITISH TRENCHES CAPTURED. BY EXPLOSION OF A HUGE MINE. ENEMY LOSSES SEVERE. LONDON, June 23. •Sir Douglas Haig reports: The enemy exploded an exceptionally large niinc at Givenchy, just north of the La Bassee Canal on Thursday morning and entered our trenches on a narrow front. Tbe Welsh Fusiliers made a very gallant and successful counter-attack ami completely drove out tin* enemy, inflicting heavy losses, Our casualties, considering the size of the mine, were comparatively light. Wo exploded a mine near Hohenzollern and occupied the lip of the crater.

CAPTURE OF SVIDNIKA DESPERATE RUSSIAN ATTACK. AGAINST GREAT ODDS. ENEMY PUTS UP A BRAVE DEFENCE. (Received This Day 11 a.m.) LONDON, June 23. Tbe “Daily Telegraph's” Petrograd correspondent sends details of the capture of Svidnika. The Russians opened a bombardment on tbe Stokhod line early in tbe morning of the 16th. The Germans anticipated an infantry attack by assaulting in dense columns and tbe Russians fell back two miles, bringing the enemy under a flanking fire by machine guns. Tbe ground was soon strewn with dead. The survivors pressed forward, but ten minutes’ bayonet work was sufficient to rout the German remnant. Tbe Russians followed up on their heels and crossed the Stokhod before the Germans had time to destroy the bridges. Armored motors completed the rout. The Russians then prepared to advance on Svidniki, but were faced with extreme difficulties owing to tbe marshy ground. They waded chestdeep in mud under a. heavy artillery and machine-gun fire, carrying their own machine-guns, rifles and ammunition on their beads and shoulders. Every wounded or unwary Russian was swallowed by the pitiless bog. Tbe Russians reached (inn ground after floundering in the mire and charged tbe village with the bayonet. Two German Landwehr regiments holding the village* fought bravely, barricading tbe buildings and mounting machine-guns on the roofs and at tbe windows. Every building bad to be stormed, and the garrison was practically wiped out. The Germans recaptured tbe village temporarily, but tin* Russians restormed it and took prisoner several hundreds. The Germans used new shells with a double explosion, nicknamed “Orphans” by the Russians, owing to the wailing sound they made in tbe air. The Russians counted five hundred German dead on one Stokhod bridge. All tbe woods near Svidniki were thickly strewn wifli dead, and great numbers were swallowed up in lbe swamps.