GERMANS' GREAT COUNTER-STRIKE ON WARSAW

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2320, 30 November 1914, Page 5

GERMANS' GREAT COUNTER-STRIKE ON WARSAW

THE BATTLE OF KOLUSZKI NAPOLEONIC ATTACK DECISIVELY SMASHED EilWegropl— Pitoj iesootetioa— Copyrlsht London, November 27. Lord Kitohener, in the course of his speech in the House of Lords, added that he believed that the German losses on the Vistula and the Warta were tie heaviest they., had yet sustained. • - ("Hrnes" and Bydney ."Sun." Services.) The difficulties of the Russian operations in Poland are .aggravated by the -havoo made by the Germans during the retreat from Warsaw. It is difficult to ..find a solitary foot of undamaged railways. The scene suggests the visitation sf a tremendous typhoon or earthquake.—"Times" and Sydney "Sun" services. JEhe following.cablegram (dated Loi'don. November 27) has been received by His Excellency, the Governor of New Zealand from the Secretary of State lor the Colonies. , '»'• "Russian General Staff reports advantage secured for Russian, troops in Pxidz battle, and Germans are trying to facilitate the retreat of their various borps which are now falling back in Strykow region under very unfavourable Wditions. 8000 prisoners captured on November 25." '■' ' ■ ■■■■■■ "- ■■■■_. 'London, November 28. "On the whole front between the Vistula and Warta, the battle is favour- .} able to the Russians. Guns and prisoners werocaptured, but the number (of prisoners is not.yet exactly ascertained. 'The Goftnans are holding their "trenches in the direction of Lodz. Oh the Czestochowa-Cracow front v more . than 4000-prisonerß were taken on November 26. Bochnia carried by assault, ;over 2000 prisoners, 10 guns, and machine guns being taken on right bank of Vistula. In the Cracow the enemy'is in disorderly retreat. In France and Belgium there is nothing to report. ( ! , "HARCOURT."-, STORY OF VON HINDENBERG'S FAILURE GERMAN GENERALSHIP BREAKS DOWN. ' (Reo. November 28/8.30 p.m.) , s Petrofirtd, November 28. During the last stage of the Battle of Koluszki (about 22 miles east by .eoufh of Lodz) the Germans, desperately struggling to fight thoir way through to Strykow (some 20 miles north-east of Lodz) were exposed to incessant charges'by the Russian cavalry. The Russians, knowing the difficulty of sur- ' rounding three army corps in open country, were seeking to cut off every, supply of ammunition. . .'' ' v , , „, Prior to the German advance for the counteVstroke on Warsaw, the Kaiser gave an audience to General Von Hindenberg at Thorn, and said: "The eyes of the world are upon you." Von Hindenberg then, launched his Napoleonic attack, aiming" at breaking the Russian centre, and surrounding the Russians between Czestochowa and Cracow,. . • '_. The German army under General Francois attacked Lodicz, while General Mackensen, with the Centre Army, marched on Lodz. General Mackensen duly broke the Russian Centre at Brozink (about 19 miles duo cast of Lodz), . but found that his throe army corps had been cut off General Francois, who had been decisively defeated at Lowicz on Tuesday, - -retreated in a north-westerly direction, his retirement making General Mackeneen's position increasingly difficult. •■'.'" Meanwhile, the Russians on Monday had defeated General Wielet's force of Germans at Ozestochowa. They had been entrenched. along a lino of low hills running from that point to the Vistula River, and the Russians had driven a wedgo. into the line at ■WlodvissoV twenty-five miles south of Czestochowa; and aro now attacking the Germans' northern section in the Hank. The Russians are converging on Cracow from three sides, and continually papturino; guns.' ~■ The Buesian. General Staff complains that the-Germane are placing antiaircraft guns, machine guns, and wireless apparatus on church towers for the bvident' purpose of foroing the Russians to bombard the ancient buildings. '.'■"■■■■ ■•* ■ . " t ■ ■ ' ■ ■ ' BOOK STRATEGY FAILS IN PRACTICAL WARFARE, ; .'...■ (Rec. November 28, 4.35 p.m.) : ■ London, November 27. ;' The "Times," in a leading article, remarks that the Russians do not hesitate to say that (jerniaa generakhip has broken down. "German strategy is so bookish, find everywhere has failed to survive practical tosts. Prussian arrogance, revealed in the all German movements in the field, is gradually producihz the worst • disaster which can ever overtake a great Empire." \s-"Tianea"-and Sydney. "Sun" services.

DESPERATE PLIGHT OF GERMAN ARMY CORPS (Reo. November 29, 5.5 p.m.) ' _ Petrograd, November 28. The latest inoffioial reports suggest that the Russian victory between the Vistula and the Warta is likely to exceed all previous estimates. Three army corps which are seeking to escape from Strykow are now subjected to .". terrible artillery fire. They are short of food and bte-gun ammunition, and are suffering appalling loeees. The situation resembles the Paardeburg. The "Daily News" Petrograd correspondent states that the Germans are in a orooked triangle, the apex being west of Koluszki* and the base between Lowicz and Lodz. The Russians have their force turned inward upon' the triangle, but the main body is resisting determined efforts from Thorn to reach the isolated army corps. The railway from Thorn is exposed to constant raids by the Russian cavalry. OFFICIAL , REVIEW, OF THE'SITUATION, Petrograd, November 28, evening. ■ Official.—The Russians scored a great deoisivo success on the Proszowice-Brzosko-Bochnia-Wisiricz front on Thursday, routed tlie enemy, and captured seven thousand prisoners and thirty gune/of which ten wore with complete teams, and twenty machine guns. ■ . . __. A Russian battalion captured a commander, twenty officers, and 1250 men and colours, the remnants of tha Thirty-First Honved Regiment, at Brzesko, and also a motor-car with several members of the General Staff. "We are energetically pursuing the enemy.. We have progressed at certain points, west of Lodz, and are also attacking important forces in tho Carpathians." . (Reo. November 29, 5.5 p.m.)' Potrograd, November 28. Official.—"Our troops advancing from the Bzura River have reached Gomhin (about 15 miles south-east of Slock, on the Vistula). Wβ have captured Breziny (east of Lodz), and'other villages in tho Morga, Valley by bayonet attacks, nnd the cavalry charged the retreating enemy, capturing guns and many prisoners. ; The position on the whole of the Warta-Vistula front is favourable. -. . "Our success on the Czestochowa-Oracow lino was of marked importance. We made prisoners of over four .thousand Germans. The Russians forded the Raba River, neck-deep, amid rushing ice-floes, and carried a strongly-fortified position. "We carried Bochnia against desperate resistance, capturing two thousand prisoners, and also ten guns and a number of machine-guns. The enemy's retreat was disorderly near Cracow." • • . . (Reo. November 30, 0.50 a.m.) ■■'... Potrograd, November 29. It is officially .announced that although many exaggerated statements as to the .dimensions of the Russian victory on the Vistula, based on private letters, should be accepted with reserve; it is beyond doulrt that the German plan to break the Russian front failed, and that 'the Germans were compelled to fell back, suffering immense losses. "The enemy continues his obstinate resistance, and it is impossible to consider that the operations havo yet concluded. Apparently the main Rus? sian success against General Mackehsen was north-east of Lodz. General Mackensen at one time got botween the Russian Right and Wareaw. "General von Hindenberg sought to relieve Cracow by threatening Warsaw, but Mackensen was unable -to retain his position, and von Hindenberg rapidly concentrated at Wielun and tried to turn.the Russian Left, and simultaneously turn the Russian Right operating against the Austrians. "The German "advance near Lodz failed, and the Russians, holding the 'Austrians firmly at Czestocliowa, began to hem the Germans from the south, at the same time enveloping them from the north. Mackensen was forced to Tetreat along the Vistula, but many regiments were broken, and are wandering eastward of Lodz, '■' GERMAN UNEASINESS AT RUSSIA'S VAST RESOURCES. (Rec. November 29, 5.5 p.m.)' . , ■ ' ' Copenhagen, November 28. Private advices from Berlin state, that the Germans ara uneasy at the appearance of heavy Russian reinforcements. They state that "hew forces seem to epring out of theground." The Russians have been marching through Warsaw day and night for five weeks without a breik. It is estimated that four million troops have passed through the city. " \ ■ (R«o. November 30, 0.50 a.m.) '. . v . . . 'Copenhagen, November 29. Nervousness in Berlin is increasing. Official reports deal with newe several days old. It is rumoured that the German armies in Poland are retreating at several points. . ■ ■ ' . . Thousands of fugitives, mostly of the Slav nationalities, are fleeing along the roads in East Prussia, Poeen, and Silesia, suffering terrible- privations. Hundreds of children have died from lack of milk, and many thousand wounded are arriving by rail at Posen, Breslau, and Berlin. ■ . 'POLISH BATTLES THROUGHVGEBMAN EYES:"' (Rec. November 29, 11.5 p.m.) ' • Amsterdam, November 29. I- 'A telegram from Thorn (near the Polish frontier) states that General yon Hindenberg, in an Army Order, has announced that he has brought Russia's offensive.movement te a standstill. The order reproduces the Kaiser 0 s telegram congratulating von Hindenberg on his success, and promoting him to the rank of Field-Marshal.. . . ' General von Hindenberg .claims to have captured sixty thousand 150 guns, and two hundred machine-guns. He adds that the enemy is not yet annihilated. .• GERMANS 'REINFORCING FROM BELGIUM. (Reo. November 29, .11.6 p.m.) Amsterdam, November 29. Whereas the Germans reported that great reinforcements were being sent te Flanders, it has now been ascertained that all the Belgian railways for many nights and days have been monopolised in transporting troops to Poland. '■''... (Reo. November 29, 11.5 p.m.) , . .. London, November 28. 'A' Dutch' newspaper reports a great withdrawal of Germans from Belgium towards Poland. ■ •