THE GRIM ORDEAL IN THE EASTERN THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2520, 22 July 1915, Page 5

THE GRIM ORDEAL IN THE EASTERN THEATRE

RUSSIAN REARGUARD FIGHTING LATEST PHASE OF THE GERMAN OFFENSIVE (By Telegraph.—Prees ism..—Copyright) ■ Petrograd, July 20. 'A Russian official communique states: — Operations In Baltic Provinces.—"An enemy column in the Riga-Shavli region reached tho Tukkun-Doblin front and advanced on July 18 southwards Hofzumborge and Beuin. . '■We continue to press the enemy in the Popeliany region. "We repulsed attacks in the Sbavli positions on the night of July 17, and dislodged the enemy from his last trenches on the trans-Nicmcn front) which wo won on July. 15. -■ Operatiops, in. North Poland.—"The enemy assumed the offensive on the Narew front, capturing-Porely, on the right bank of the Pissa,jon July 17. "We repulsed attacks on the Idft bank of the Szkwa, near Vyk Pchetcliniak. Our troops west of the Omulew withdrew towards the Narew bridgehead, fighting an obstinate rearguard action. , / Central Poland. —"The enemy attacks in the Wilkolaz-Bychawa front, in the direction of Lublin, were repulsed. • "The enemy captured Krasnostaw (Lublin-Cholm front), and the fords over the Vieprz above the town. ■- We repulsed many attacks on the right bank of the Vieprz, but the enemy established himself on the right bank of tho Volitza. near its mouth. We therefore withdrew to our second liue._ ' "We repulsed four furious attacks ou a wide front near Grabowiec, and drove the enemy, on July 17, between Genitchva and the Bug, after a desperate fight, from all his trenches. Eastern Calioia.—"Desperate fighting continues in the Sokal region, also on tho Dniester. There are serious engagements in other directions. LATEST NEWS FROM PETROCRAD. • (Rec. July 21, 9.25 p.m.) Petrograd, July 21. .. A communique states that the Germans have progressed in tho RigaShavli and Niemen regions. "Siege artillery from Novo Georgiewsk successfully bombarded the heads of the enemy's columns on the Narew front oil Sunday. "The enemy carefully approached our new front between the Vistula and the Bug on Monday. Attacks upon tho Krylowsokal section continue." HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. -The High Commissioner reports:— London, July 21, i a.m. : "Conflicting reports are reaching London regarding the position on the Russian front. Three German armies are moviug in the direction of Warsaw. Tho enemy claims substantial progress. ■ Official.—"Russian torpedo boats have sunk a convoy of Turkish sailing ships in the Black Sea." 1 GERMAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE RUSSIANS RETREAT ACROSS THE 'NAREW. , Amsterdam, July 20. "General von Gallowitz has advanced further, and now stands with all his troops on the Narew lino, south-west of Ostrolenka to Novo Giorgievsk. Tho Russians, not finding protection in.their fortifications and bridgeheads,' havo retreated across the Narew. Our prisoners now. number over ° twenty-eight thousand. " "The enemy between the Vustula and the Pilica are retreating eastwards. The Russians who were defeated on July 17 by General von Woyrsch, northwest of Sienno, attempted to arrest our pursuit in prepared positions' behind the Ilzanka sector..i' The Silesian Landwehr stormed the advanced positions yesterday," and entered tho Russian lino at night between Kasanow and Betranow. , A decision is imminent. "General von Mackensen's battle, botwitai tho Vistula and the Bug con- ■ tinues with unabated violence. The Russian line is broken at two points The Russians made a desperate effort to avoid ■ defeat, and hurried up fresh troops, which were defeated. "We forced the crossing of the Volitza in the Grabowiec district "The Austrians have crossed the Bug north of Sokal. "Under the pressure.of our pursuit, the enemy during tho_ night retreated on the entire front between tho Vistula and the Bug, and resisted at only one point, where he was sever#? defeated. "General von Arz's Germans captured, between July 16 and 18 16 250 prisoners and twenty-three machine-guns. According to the enemy' orders for the action were that they were determined without regard to losses, to maintain the positions ,we have jjow conquered." "The Russians were repulsed at several points in Courland. tured enemy positions north of the confluence of tho Rivers Szkwa and Pissa (tributaries of the Narew). "We reached the Narew northward of the mouth of the Szkwa, and occupied some of the permanent fortifications of Ostrolenka on the north-west bank. "Our troops south of the Vistula advanced as far as Blonie and Grodzisk (about 20 miles west of Warsaw). In rearguard actions tho Russians 560 prisoners and two machine-guns. "In the south-eastern theatre all the Russian counter-attacks were repulsed. We took prisoners 5000. Our troops arc closely pursuing the enemy. Our cavalry have reached the Radom-Ivangorod railway. AUSTRIAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. Amsterdam, July 20. i 'An Austrian official message states "After crossing the Volitza we advanced on tho enemy's positions in tho iekhtsL,taking prisoner 3000. ,

"The Austro-Gcrman successes on July 18 on the entire front have shaken the enemy's resistance. He brought up all reinforcements within reach during the iast .few days, but was unablo to maintain his positions, and began to retreat 011 the same night, and evacuated the battlefield. [Referring on' the map to the above points of contact in the Eastern theatre, it is possiblo to trace, roughly—for the evidence is not complete on certain sectors —the present battle front. Leaving out the Baltic Provinces, and commencing at Ossowiec, the Russian lino runs along in the direction of Lomza, thence along the southern bank of the iNarew to a point below NovoGergiewski, thence it swings round in front of Warsaw as iar out as Grodiszk, down in the diroction of Radom, and thence in a rough diagonal via Bychawa and Krasnostaw, in front of the Lublin-Chelm railway line; from their tlie line may be taken to Grabowiec, and on to Sokal, in the north-eastern corner of Gaiicia.] (Rec. July 21, 9.25 p.m.)' London, July 20. A Vienna official communique statos: "Tho Austrians have occupied Radom. [The capture of Radom uncovers the approach to Ivangoroa, the Russian fortress on the Vistula, south of Warsaw.] DOUBTFUL IMPORT OF NORTHERN MOVE ON WARSAW. (Rec. July 21, 7.30 p.m.) ' London, July 20. The "Times" correspondent on the Bzura front says that uncertainty prevails as to tlio significanco of tlie recent fighting in the vicinity of Lomza and Przasnyz; whether it represents a new German objective or merely a demonstration to prevent further Russian concentrations on the Lubhn-Cholm district. ■ , "During the recent retirement tho Russians knew that tho Germans had planned an attack at three o'clock in tho morning. They retired in tlie darkness from their trenches to a new lino, while the Germans fired eighty thousand shells at tho abandoned positions. . "There is increasing confidence that the menace from the south is decreasing, while the threats on Warsaw from the north are not of immediate danger."A NEW AND MOST REMARKABLE GENERAL AMERICAN WAR CORRESPONDENT'S IMPRESSION, ("Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.) London, July 20. Mr. Stanley Washburn, the American war correspondent, considers that the army protecting Warsaw is the'best Russia has ever placed in the held, 60 per cent, representing corps that aro the cream of the army. The new General commanding is the most remarkable individual ho has ever met in this or any other war. "His name is practically unknown Russia, but I have never seen a mail to so impress me as beint: able to 'deliver the goods. He knows every detail of the army, and is worshipped by the men. ■ WAR FLEET AND. TRANSPORTS SIGHTED STEAMING NORTH OFF GOTHLAND (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) Copenhagen, July 20. Several large cruisers, torpedo-boats, and' transports have been observed from Gothlaud, steaming north. They aro supposed to bo Gorman.