The Eastern Operations

Waikato Times, Volume 84, Issue 13209, 26 June 1915, Page 5

The Eastern Operations

GERMAN LOSSES IX GALICIA. HALF THEIR EFFECTIVE STRENGTH ACCOUNTED FOR. VAIN EFFORT TO FORCE A DECISIVE RATTLE. RUSSIAN MANOEUVRING UNIMPEDED. deceived June 25, midnight. LONDON, June 23. The Morning Post's Petrograd correspondent says the German losses in the Gro lek Lakes is appalling. Officers who were taken prisoners declare that .hey had lost half their effectiveness before the Russians retired to Leuiberg. They estimated that the Germans had lost half a million in a vain endeavour to force a decisive battle The Russians retain perfect freedom of manoeuvring. AUSTRIAN'S OCCUPY OSTROWIEO. Received June 23, midnight. VI3NNA, June 23. Official: Fighting against strong Russian rearguards continues east and north-wesi of Lemberg. 'Our troops have occupied Ostrowiec. The High Commissioner report> under date LONDON, June 23. In the direction of Zolkview, near Lemberg, on the evening of Tuesday and the whole of Wednesday the enemy made attempts, with the ulterior offensive of endeavouring by extraordinary persistence to advance in the direction of the villages of Czijikoreff and Doitrovitze, along the railway from Lemberg to Berejany. Thanks to vigorous counter-attacks the attempts failed. On the front from Zuravno to Demeszkovit/.e a desperate battle is in progress, developing at present in the Russians' favour. Great German forces to the left of the Dniester on Wednesday morning in the Kozarv district suffered enormous losses. They were driven back to the river and forced to assume the defensive under very difficult conditions. Some of their troops were crowded on islands in the river, while others are clinging to the left bank. Near Marly novo and Rouzoiamk the Austrians crossed to the left bank of the Dniester, but were also flung back by a dashing counter-stroke. Their losses on Wednesday morning included 40 officers and 1700 men of various regiments taken prisoners. The enemy is endeavouring to hold the ground in houses close to the rivers, and is offering a desperate resistance. Heavy and light artillery are giving effective support to the Russians in the Kosmierjine district. On the Dniester, south-east of Nijniov, the Russians, taking the offensive on Tuesday, approached Mount Bezymiamna and occupied a strongly fortified position of the enemy. After digging themselves in the Russians at dawn on Wednesday advanced and impetuously assaulted the mountain, and the enemy, not earing to face a bayonet attack, fell back in disorder on their second line of works. Pressing close on their heels, the Russians entered the works and put to the bayonet almost the whole garrison which was holding the hill.