HOW THE RUSSIANS ENTERED MEMEL

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2416, 23 March 1915, Page 5

HOW THE RUSSIANS ENTERED MEMEL

INHABITANTS JOIN THE ENEMY ENEMY DRIVEN OVER THE FRONTIER Potrograd, March 21. Official.—The Germans put up a, stiff fight at Tauroggen (East Prussia), but were repulsed and driven over the frontier. As the Russians advanced, two regiments of the Landstrum defending Memel were driven back and mingled with the population. The Russians, on entering at 8 o'clock in the eveningj encountered fire from the houses and barricades. Civilians, equally with the troops, participated. The Russians were then withdrawn and Memel was subjected to a short bombardment, which ended tlie resistance, and the town was evacuat-ed, the inhabitants taking refuge at Konigsberg. , An official reply to a German threat of reprisals points out that Memel was defended by armed forces, whilst the inhabitants participated in the fighting. Exceptional interest is taken by military writers in the operations north of Tilsit (wrote the "Times" correspondent at Petrograd on Lebruary 1 last). Evidently the Russian plant is to outflank the position of the Germans in the Mazurian Lake region and overrun East Prussia. Hence the advance north of Tilsit serves as a corollary to the movement oF the Russian troops north of the Vistula, beyond Jllawa. The strategical reasons underlying tlio advanco in East Prussia are identical witli those which prompted the first, offensive under General Rennenkampf, to divert tho German forces hither from the west front or from the Polish and Galician theatres. As there is good reason to suppose that the German forces west of the Vistula have been alreadv heavily drawn upon to provide reinforcements for Hungary, it is to bo +1,«4- +lia Anam-p miicf. +rj>riKfV>r Rome trnous from the West ll ho

presumed that the 6nemy must transler some troops rrom t tue west 11 no desires to check tlic Russian movement beyond the Mazurian Lakes. DISASTROUS SORTIE FROM FORT PRZEMYSL Pntrograd, March 21. Official.—"Details of the repulse of four regiments who made a sortie from Przeffi.vsl show that wo captured 107 officers, 3954 men, and sixteen machine guns. The prisoners describe the losses in killed and wounded as enormous. (Rec. March 22, 11.30 p.m.) Petrograd, March 22. Official.—"Considerable success has'been obtained in the Svidnik-Smolnik ' district. We have secured the enemy's principal dispositions, taking 2400 prisoners, 48 officers, and seven -puns. "The enemy's renewed attacks, in the direction of TJszok Pass and Munkacs (on the Hungarian side), were, repulsed. "Near Przemysl we captured a village. All round the forts the garrison has been driven from the line of fortifications." WESTWARD MARCH FROM THE CAUCASUS SWEEPING MOVEMENT BY THE RUSSIANS. London, March 21. Advices from the Caucasus show that the Russians are marching westward on a wide front along the Black Sea coast-line. New Turkish formations, intended to replace the Erzentm garrison, Will be simply contained, and their fate settled by cutting them off from all sources of supplies. (Rec. March 22, 11.30 p.m.) Petrograd, March 22. Official.—"Westward from the Niemen the Russian advance continues successfully."