Eastern News

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 56, 6 July 1915, Page 5

Eastern News

AUSTRO-CERMAN CAPTURE

TWO MONTHS’ OPERATIONS.

United Press Association. (Received 9.5 a.m.) London, July 5. Berlin, in estimating the extent of the Austro-German victories during the two months’ operations preceding June 27, calculates that 520,000 prissoners, 300 field guns, and 770 mac-hine-guns were taken.

THE RUSSIAN READJUSTMENT IN SOUTHERN POLAND.

London, July 4

A correspondent with the Russian forces in southern Poland describes the readjustment of the line at this point to conform' with the Galician retreat. He says the operation was brilliantly carried out, the Russians achieving an important success near Opatow, resulting in the complete breaking up of the symmetry of the Austro-German pursuing movement. The battle is peculiarly interesting because it was fought in the open without trenches, and a hundred thousand men and four hundred guns were engaged. The Austro-Germans lost nearly thirty thousand killed, wounded and prisoners. The enemy strength was nearly double that of the Russians. It was supposed the Russians were demoralised, and it was not expected they would offer resistance outside their fortified line. The battle commenced on the left by an attack upon the German corps, and then the Russians, using Opatow as an axis, swung furiously upon the Austrians. The attack was characterised by smart Cossack work, the Cossacks riding round the Austrians and hitting their line of communications, while at the same time the infantry attacked the main column, crumpling up the entire Austrian formation. Immediately after this action the same troops were forced to make a night march over a mountain, attacking the German formation frontally and inflicting heavy losses. Unfortunately the Russians were unable to follow up this advantige, lest they should leave a gap in the general retiring line.