Russian Campaign

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 206, 8 February 1915, Page 5

Russian Campaign

"DIVISIONS OF DEATH." RECKLESS EXPENDITURE OF LIVES. A HURRICANE OF SHELLS. MURDER IXI MASSED FORMATION. Received 7, 5 p.m. Petrograd, February C. Tlic German attempt to force the defence of/ Borjimoff by; sheer weight, using the infantry as cavalry was used in the old days, has hitherto failed. The formation is unprecedented since the day of the Macedonian phalanx. One Hundred and forty thousand infantry and a hundred batteries were employed along a seven-mile front, advancing sixteen deep. Several divisions were massed solid at one place less than 1200 yards wide. The Germans christened them "Divisions of Death!" A series of low hills behind the front facilitated the extraordinary massing of artillery. The Germans have never been more prodigal of blood and ammunition. They fought day and night incessantly. General Hindenburg has abandoned military science, and is relying solely on reckless expenditure of lives and a hurricane of shells.

Supremo attacks were delivered on Tuesday on trie Eawka.

After the Russian artillery's day of unceasing slaughter, the Russians coun-ter-attacked on Tuesday night and Wednesday. Fierce hand-to-hand fight-' ing occurred every 500 yards, and the enemy was driven across the Kawka at Voliachidrowska.

The Prussian Guard from lowiez, whom the Emperor had ordered to show the way to Warsaw, were driven back across the Eawka. The fighting continues unabated.

-Military critics declarr that the world has never seen such fighting. The Ger-. man methods indicate that success is now a matter of life and death; and the Germans are making a final desperate effort to blast a new road to Warsaw. RUSSIANS CROSS THE BZURA. A GERMAN FORCE DISLODGED. Received G, 5.5 p.m. Petrograil, February 5. Official: The Russians crossed the lizura near its mouth, and captured part of the enemy's positions near Dakowo. They dislodged the Germans from the bridge-head near Borjimoff, Guniine, and Voliachidlowska. They blew up a bridge over the Nida, repulsing the enemy's attempt to .assume the offensive. Russians captured 3000 prisoners ' north-west of Ujok. ■JutKESISTIBLE RUSSIANS AT ' BORJOMOFF. ' Amsterdam, February 5. A communique from Berlin states: "Strong Russian attacks on the position eastward of Borjimoff were repulsed. We captured four guns, twenty-six offi- , cers and six thousand men." , Petrograd, February 5. 1 The Germans for two days and nights j swept the Russian positions at Borjimoff with COO massed guns, ifany shells emptied suffocating gases, covering the trenches with a poisonous pall, but the Russians were splendidly dug in, and afterwards charged with fifty quickfirers with irresistible impetuosity, capturing fourteen guns. A communique states: "The Russians by bayonet charges at Borjimoff captured two lines of trenches and are progressing in the Carpathians, where we . captured two thousand prisoners and ten mitrailleuses near Uszen. We withdrew from Foukolka and Beskid Passes to previously prepared positions, owing to the enemy's superior numbers. The enemy's attempts to advance in the Wyszkoff Pass was repelled with heavy losses." GERMANS TO ASSIST HUNGARY. WITH THIRTY THOUSAND MEN. Rome, February 6. Thirty thousand Germans are hastening to relieve the Hungarian force at Korosmezo, which the Russians threaten to envelop. Of the Germans operating in central Poland 200,000 have been ordered from Cracow to raise the siege of Przemysl. CZAR'S ENORMOUS TASK. AN APPRECIATION. London, February 5. A correspondent at the Russian headquarters points out that the two outstanding things are the immensity of the sacrifices asked and cheerfully made by Russia, and her sense of quiet confidence in the ultimate result. It must not be forgotten that Russia has had to deal with practically all the forces of Austria and Turkey as well as an everincreasing proportion of the forces of Germany, but she is going steadily through with her work. One oE the gieatest things the war is doing is the revelation to Europe of the simple goodness of the Russian peasant and the qualities of the Russian people. They arc going to take their proper place among the best factors in future European civilisation.' IMPORTANT POINT SEIZED. 2000 PRISONERS TAKEN. Petrograd, February 7. Official: We seized an important point of support on the left bank of the Bzura, and captured the first and second lines of trenches and six machine-guns near Borjimofi', besides taking 2000 prisoners near Wtwszkoff Pass,