Russian Campaign

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 254, 6 April 1915, Page 5

Russian Campaign

SUPERHUMAN ATTACK

RUSSIA'S ENORMOUS STREN'CTH.

DEPRESSION IN AUSTRIA,

Received April !>, 7 p.m. Venice, April i. A correspondent of the Neu Frcio Presse states that the Russians are making: a superhuman attack 011 the Austrian centre in the Carpathians, with constantly increasing forces. They have seemingly endless reserves.

Telegrams from the front dwell almost hopelessly upon the Russians' enormous strength.

The Hermans are no*- largely reinforcing Hungary.

THE GERMANS' RETREAT.

Received 5, 7 p.m. Petrograd, April 4. A ti avellcr from Lodz states that the Germans are working day and night at treat"^ 8 an ( '£° s to facilitate re-

Lodz has not suffered greatly from the bombardment, but pillage aml violcn( , e or every description is proceeding.

LINES OF CORPSES,

COSSACKS FICHT WITH THE BAYONET.

A BRUTAL OUTRAGE,

THE STORY OF PRZEMYSL.

RUSSIANS' GALLANT DEFENCE,

OF IMPORTANT SALIENT

Received April , t ) J <) pm. . , . Pal ' is '. April 4. A description is published of an attempt by, a division, of Tyrolese, tlfebest troops remaining to Austria, to capture a projecting bluff where the Russian iront came near the Calician river. It was a salient landmark in a curve from the western front against Germany to the southern front against Austria. (if ( T, T , or two <la - vs p° ure(l torrent of shells on the hill, which was defended merely .by. parts of two regiments. The attackers wore ensconced fty night 111 rifle-pits. The lower edge of the trench loitnd a lodgment on the upper wood, the Austrian artillery pounding the Russians over the heads of the Tyrolese infantry. An attempt was made to pierce the Russians' line at a. point the salient of which was at the junction.

Two defending regiments now came up. Standing up under a fierce cannonftup, t.ic Russian infantry, supported by ■machine-guns, poured in devastating voileys, beating out the enemy's rush. The Xyrolese trenches became lines of corpses. Ao attempt was made to resist the bayonet. Some of the Russians descended into the river and assailed the enemy on the flank. Thirteen hundred Austrian corpses were counted in-a wood, without, baggage. T'ie retreaters gained the hills across the river.

AUSITJANS DISLODGED FROM THE

HEIGHTS.

Received April C, 12.2,j a.m. Petrograd, April s*. The Russian cavalry, dismounting, attacked the Austrian front at Stnhiltovtzy, and repeatedly resorted to the bayonet. Cossacks similarly broke the enemy's desperate resistance, and the Russian infantry followed up with an impeJuous attack and dislodged the enemy from the heights they had occupied and several villages. The Russians' advance oil Krzcromn prevents the withdrawal of Turks for the defence of Constantinople.

RUSSIAN'S TONGUE CUT OUT.

AUSTRIAN'S BEING BEATEN BACK.

Received April 5, 9 p.m. Petrograd, April 4. Official: Fighting westward of the Niemen is developing in our favor. Cavalry, after a stubborn f : ~ht with German cavalry anil infantry between Calvaria and Suevulka on Friday, made a das'iing charge, sabring and capturing many, and expelled the enemy from the district.

The'Austrians, after a grave defeat in the Scliilovzg region, withdrew over the frontier, where they are fortifying.

The Austrians bombarded, and occupied the fortress of Galeszikow, bu£ the. ■Russians 'dislodged them. They; founl a Russian telephonist with his tongue cut out for refusing to give information. "The telephonist was promoted and decorated. HANGED FOR SPYING.

GERMAN AGENTS CAUGHT.

Received April 5, 9 p.m. Pctrograd, April 4.

Lieutenant-Colonel 'Milsoyedorf, an interpreter 011 the staff of the Tenth Army, was sentenced to be hanged for espionage in connection with operations on the Vistula and Nienien. His confessions led to the arrest of numerous German agents outside the army.

OFFICERS LIVE IN LUXURY.

WHILE MEN STARVE IN TRENCHES

Received April 5, !) p.m. London, M:ireli IS.

The Times' correspondent, describing Przemysl and its story, says it was an impregnable fortress, two or three times over-garrisoned liy patient haggard soldiers starving in the trenches, and slick, faultlessly-dressed officers living on t.1.0 fut of the land at fashionable hotels and restaurants. The captured garrison consisted of 131,000 men, four thousand officers, and forty thousand civilians. Experts estimate that fifty thousand m<:n could bold Pr/emysl against any force*. When the food pinch came the situation was acute. All except the officii s of cavalry and transport horse consumed eats, which sold at Bs, and dogs for a sovereign. When the garrison became thin and half-starved the officers still filled the cafes, played cards and billiards, and led their Vienna life, witliort sharing in any of the hardships of the men. They had ocory luxury, while their own orderlies and servants begged for a slice of bread. Rjldiers feli in the streets from weakness and hunger, whilst the officers retained their private thoroughbred mounts until the day before the surrender, when two thousand were killed, in order to prevent the Russians obtaining them. A Russian officer states that when !;c entered the town he saw half-crazed Austrian and Hungarian soldiers tearing the homes' bodies, the faces and hands smeared with blood, and devouring raw' flesh.

When it was obviously and utterly .Impossible for them to hold out any longer, Ihe Austriaus destroyed witlv enormous charges of dynamite three bridges over the San, tlw explosion breaking aH tjje

windows in that part of the town. Munitions and military stores wore dumped into the river. Guns and forts were demolished.. und stocks of rifles broken.

When the destruction was compl-Mcd the Austrians asked for parliament--i:ri •' Three were sent, and discussed and ,u eepted terms of capitulation, amountm;: to unconditional surrender. It was impossible to conceive a greater ccntr,v-. : between tlic.se businesslike ollicd 1 ., fi»<! the easy-going, dapper Austriar.s. ']"!•«■ former were, serious, hard fightin;; m.-n and the latter wasp-waisted, with wrirl uniforms and trailing sabres, H.imilcri'jy laughing, and joking. Tlie Austrian* throughout had pleiii 11 of anmiunition, and grossly outp.n:nli"n the Russians. Yet only one recent effo-! was made to break out, the sori"> pa.-lv comprising thirty thousand, all Hun/ar:ana. The civilians gladly weleeiiud llu» Russians. Tlie Austrians and ITnn:;irians, first-class raw material, nre inv utterly broken and hopeless, due. to Itwretched officers—the most incompetent in Europe. It appeared that they had been parasites, not contributing at all to the defence.