Eastern Campaign

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 1, 30 November 1914, Page 5

Eastern Campaign

THE BATTLE OF KOLUZSKI. GERMANS' NAPOLEONIC ATTACK. KAISER INSPIRES THE LEADER. TnEIR STRATEGY FAILS. RUSSIANS CONVERGING ON CRAOOW.

Received 29, 3.30 p.m. Petrograd, November 28. In the battle of Koluszki's last stages the Germans made a desperately struggling fight through to Strvkon. They wero exposed to incessant Russian cavalry charges.

The Russians, knowing the difficulty of surrounding three army corps in open country, are seeking to cut o(T every supply of ammunition, Prior to the advance the Kaiser gave an audience to General Hindenberg at Thorn. He said: "The eyes of the world are upon you."

General Hindenberg then launched a Napoleonic attack, aiming at breaking the Russian centre and surrounding the Russians between Czcntochowa and Cracow. The army under General Francois attacked Lowicz, while General Miickciiseu marched on Lodz. General Mackensen duly broke the Russian centre at Brezink, lmt found his three army corps cut off. General Francois, who was decisively defeated at Lowicz on Tuesday, retreated in a north-westerly direction, making Mackensen's position increasingly difficult. Meanwhile! the Russians on Monday defeated General Wielet's force of Germans at Czcnstoehowa, where they had been entrenched on a line of low hills running to the Vistula. , The Russians have driven a wedge into the line at Wlodwize, twenty-five miles south of Czcnstoehowa, and arc now attacking the Germans' northern section in the flank.

The Russians are converging on Cra cow on three sides, continually captur ing guns.

The General Staff complains that Germans are placing anti-aircraft guns, machine-guns, and wireless apparatus on church towers, with the evident purpose of forcing the Russians to bombard these ancient buildings.

RUSSIAN OFFICIAL ACCOUNT. THE WHOLE POSITION FAVORABLE. ATTACK THROUGH FLOODED RIVER. GERMANS RETREAT IN DISORDER. Received 29, 5.5 p.m. Petrograd, November 28.

An official statement says. "Our troops, advancing from T.zura, reached Goobin. We captured Brczing and other villages in the Morga valley by bayonet attacks.

Cavalry charged the retreating enemy, and captured guns and many prisoners. The position on the whole Warta-Vis-tula front is favorable. Our success between Czenatochowa and Cracow is of marked importance. We took over 4000 German prisoners.

The Russians forded the liaba, ■which was running neck high, amid rushing ice-floes, and carried a strongly fortified position.

We carried Bochnia against a desperate resistance, capturing 2000 men, also ten guns and a nnmlier of machine-guns. Tlie enemy's retreat is disorderly near Cracow.

A DECISIVE SUCCESS. BIG CAPTURES OF ARTILLERY. ENEMY ENERGETICALLY PURSUED. Received 29, 5.10 p.m.

Petrograd, Nov. 28 (Evening). An official message records the Russians' decisive success on the Noszowice-Brzesko-Bochnia-Wisiricz front on Thursday. They routed the enemy, captured 7000 prisoners and 30 guns, ten of them with complete teams, and 20 machineguns.

A Russian battalion captured a commander, 20 officers, and 1250 men, with their colors, the remnants of the 31st Honved Regiment, at lirzesko, also a motor-car with several members of the General Staff. We are energetically pursuing the enemy. We progressed at certain points near Lodz, and are attacking important forces in the Carpathians.

GERMAN GENERALSHIP BROKEN DOWN STRATEGEY TESTED, AND FAILED. Times and Sydney Sun Services. Received 28, 4.30 p.m. London, November 28. . The Times, in a leader, says: "The Russians do not hesitate to say that German generalship has broken down. German strategy is so bookish that it lias everywhere failed to survive practical tests. The Prussian arrogance revealed in all the German movements is gradually producing the worst disaster that could ever overtake a great Empire."

RUSSIAN'S HAMPERED BY GERMAN DEVASTATION. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, November 27. ,Tlie difficulties of Russian operations are aggravated by the German havoc during their retreat from Warsaw. It is difficult to find a solitary foot of undamaged railway. The scene suggests the visitation of a. tremendous typhoon or earthquake.

RUSSIANS BY THE MILLION. REINFORCEMENTS ARRIVING DAY AND NIGHT. Received *29, 5.-15 p.m. Copenhagen, November 28. Private advices from Berlin show that the Germans are uneasy as the result of the heavy Russian reinforcements. It is stated that new forces seem to spring up out of the ground. Russians have been marching through Warsaw day and night for five weeks without a break. It is estimated that four millions have passed through.

GERMAN VIEW OF THE FIGHT. RUSSIANS BROUGHT TO A STANDSTILL. "NOT YET "ANNIHILATED." Received 30, 12.5 a.m. Amsterdam, November 20. A telegram from Thorn states that General Hindenberg, in an army order, announced that he had brought Russia's olfensive to a standstill. The order reproduces the Kaiser's telegram eon - gratulftting General Hindenberg on his success and promoting him to the rank of Field-Marshal.

Hindenberg claims to have captured sixty thousand prisoners, 150 guns, and two" hundred machine guns. He adds: "The enemy is not yet annihilated."

A LESS ENTHUSIASTIC VKRSIQN. BUT GERMAN PLAN UNDOUBTEDLY FAILED. ARMY RETREATS ALONG THE VISTULA. , A CRITICAL TIME FOR WARSAW. Received 30, 12.5 a.m. 1 London, November 20.' It is officially announced that many exaggerated statements of the dimensions of the Russian victory on the Vistula, based on private letters, should be accepted with reserve, but it is beyond doubt that the German plan to break the Russian front failed, and the Germans were compelled to fall back, suffering immense losses The enemy 'continues an obsignate resistance, and it is impossible to consider the operations concluded. Apparently the main Russian success were against General Mackensen north-east of Lodz. Received 30, 1.30 a.m.

General Mackensen at one time got between the Russian l ight and Warsaw. ' General Hindcnbcrg song-Mi to relieve Cracow by threatening Warsaw. Mackensen was unable to retain his position, and Ilindenberg rapidly concentrated at Wielum and tried to turn the Russian left and simultaneously to turn the Russian right operating against the Austrians. The German advance near Lodz failed, and the Russians, holding the Austrian® firmly at Czenstoeliowa, began to honi in the Germans from the south, nt tlie same time enveloping them from the north. General Mackensen was forced to retreat along the Vistula, but many regiments were broken, and are wandering to the eastwards of Lodz.