THE PERIL OF THE VILNA ARMY.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2574, 23 September 1915, Page 5

THE PERIL OF THE VILNA ARMY.

■ MENACED ON FLANK - ■ - f ■ HOW THE GERMANS BROKE THE RESISTANCE By Telegraph—Press Association—OopyrijM ("Times" and Sydney "Strn" Services.) London, September 21. The "Times" correspondent says :• Apparently the Vilna army has escaped, but it is ill a position of great difficulty. There arc strong forces 011 its eastern flank.' The Germans captured Vilna by bold tactics—massing great bodies of troops east of the Vilna-Dvinsk railway and hurling them against the Russian centre. Here the weight of the attack broke the Russian resistance, and tlio Germans then turned nort'h and 1 north-east against Dvinsk and south and south-east against Vilna. ' , BETTER OUTLOOK' FOR THE VILNA'ARMY. (Rec. September 22, 7.85 p.m.) Paris, September 21. The "Matin's" military correspondent with the Russians states that, Vilna has escaped being encircled. The situation, which was momentary disquieting, is now good, owing to desperate rearguard .fighting. The Russian retreat via the Lida railway route,_ and thence to the Minsk line, is being carried out under favourable'conditions. RUSSIAN OFFICIAL" COMMUNIQI/E. , (Reo. September 22, 10.50 p,m.)

Petrograd, September 22. 'A communique states: "There was hea,v'y bayonet fighting east of Luzk. "The enemy on the Beresbvka-Rostoki front 'reached our trenches, but were expelled with great losses. We counter-attacked on the enemy's flank. The Austrians were unable to withstand the charge and all were either bayoneted or taken prisoner." GERMAN OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. Amsterdam, September 21. 'A German communique states: "General von Eichorn's troops are progressing north-westward and south-westward of Oschmjano, and have reached the region eastward of Lida. s "Prince Leopold has forced a passage on the, Molezadz, southward of Dwohzec, and further south, where lie reached a line southward of Moleszadz and Nowayampsch, westward of Ostrof." . _■ THE VILNA TRAP CLOSED TOO LATE '' HOW THE RUSSIANS GOT CLEAR. '(Rec. September 23, 0.55 a.m.) . Petrograd, September 22. . Field-Marshal von Hindonburg's trap is closing, but too late. The enemy, forced his way thirty miles down tho Vilna-Lida railway to Biniakoni,-but the Russians, by driving back the invaders from Molodetchno, broadened the passage and thereby effected a retirement. . A licrce battle with the foo ■at a crossing of tho Vilia is proceeding. • The bulk of General von Eichorn's artillery and. infantry, after terrible losses, has halted at Vilna. Tho Gorman infantry is a pitiable spectacle—bearded, round-shouldered, hardly able to move under their equipment—but the number ot their artillery and machine-guns is_ impressivo.' Even tho cavalry and motor-cyclists are supplied with machine-guns. General Russky, by a systematic scheme of rearguard fighting, has slowed up tho German advance on the Dvina, and has now reduced a costly series of attacks upon tho trenches. There is every sign of an early, winter, and the country is already swept by cold, raw winds.