Eastern Campaign

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 152, 23 November 1914, Page 5

Eastern Campaign

RUSSIA'S GIGANTIC TASK. GERMAN ADVANCE CHECKED. RUSSIANS CAPTURE GUNS. THREE THOUSAND AUSTRIANS TAKEN PRISONERS. London, November 20. The Times, in a leader, says Russia is fighting single-handed along a front of a thousand miles from the Baltic to the Carpathians and simultaneously carrying the war into Asiatic Turkey. Her task is gigantic, but she is exhibiting rare skill and vigour in its discharge Pctrograd, November 20. Official.—The Germans between the Vistula and Warta were unable to make headway. General Hindenberg continues to pour troops between the Vistula and Warta, and has greatly strengthened his advance lines, also the other end line around Leezyca and Orloff. The. brunt of the fighting lies in the swamp region on the forty miles front from Lodz to the Vistula. A communique states that the Germans attempted to break our line on t the Vistula and Warta. Our offensive was partially successful. We captured north-west of Lodz a battery of heavy artillery, ten machine guns, and hundreds of prisoners. Stubborn actions are proceeding in the Cdenstochowa and Cracow district and developing normally. We captured 3000 Austrians on Tuesday, also occupied Wisnirz, Gorlifc, and Dihkla. DESPERATE FIGHTING. GERMANS CROSS RTVER-BED UNDER FIRE. CAUGHT IN WJRE ENTANGLEMENTS. RUSSIANS FORCED TO GIVE GROUND. Received 22, 4.40 p.m. Pctrograd, November 21. The Germans have reached Pronisk, eastward of Bzura, having fought their way desperately across a river-bed, which bad been filled with barbed wire. Many were entangled and drowned under their maddened horses' hoofs. While the Prussian infantry was' entrenching near Gbstynen, fourteen hundred Russians charged into their midst. The masses were, so dense that it was impossible at times to use the bayonet, and the men fought with fists. Tiie Prussians were three times as numerous as the Russians, and the Russians gradually withdrew.

RUSSIA DEFINITELY SUCCESSFUL. GERMAN" FORCE DRIVEN 1 BACK. A CAVALRY DIVISION SMASHED. Received 22, 4.40 p.m. Petrograd, November 21. The Russians were definitely successful southward of Czestoehowa. AH the foremost German forces were driven back, and compelled to act on the defensive in their old positions. During the Germans' last effort at Pievcr, on the Russian line northward of Kutno, a German cavalry division came under a crossfire from Russian infantry entrenched with a strong support of machine-guns. The Germans abandoned 3000 dead and vounded, and the vanguard of their advance retired on the main body, which is now spreading itself among defensive positions round Lodz. The Russian pressure continues.

GERMAN DEFEAT CONFIRMED. GENERALS COMMIT SUICIDE. AN UNPARDONABLE SACRILEGE. Received 22, 4.45 p.m. Petrograd, November 21. Generals Von Bredow and Von Broinel committed suicide at Czenstochowa after the great German defeat. The Kaiser offered to replace the Czenstochowa Virgin's jgolden crown, which the Germans stole. The Poles rejected the offer as a blasphemy emanating from liars, incendiaries, violators and murderers ot women and children.

VIOLENT ATTACKS. SUCCESSFULLY REPULSED. Received 23, 12:5 a.m. Petrograd, November 22. Official: The Austro-Gcrman army from Czestocesoja to Cracow maintains "violent offensive, in the mtention of helping the centre army. . The Russians resumed the offensive, and drove the Germans back, inlbcting enormous losses, and making many pu-

S °Viol'ent actions occurred at Cracow, but the Russians continue to advance.

GERMAN STRATEGY. Times and Sydney Sun, Services. Received 22, S.s;> p.m. London, November 21. An eye-witness states that German eastern strategy aims to deliver a blow at the heart of Poland, thus staving oil tte invasion of Silesia. The Germans are repeating the trick of moving troops Sards and forwards on the railways £ give the appeMonccjnarge umbers. GERMANS CLATMATOUWX GAME. ■ Received 22, 4.40 p.m. Amsterdam, November 21. A German official statement is to the effect that fighting round Lodz and East Oeftocliova is still indecisive.