FAIL OF PRZEMYSL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 307, 5 June 1915, Page 5

FAIL OF PRZEMYSL

RUSSIAN PURPOSE SERVED.

PRZEMYSL NO LONGER USEFUL. t J AGAINST UNEQUAL ODDS. GERMAN LINE PIERCED. ® Received June 4, 11 50 p.m. Petrograd, Juno 4. Tlie enemy's activity on the W'ursax j front lias been revived, and (Ik y liav ' resumed ( lie offensive under cover of ipi? Tlie Russians are well provided with res j pirators. I 'Jieial: Til? battle in Galicia was cor tinned on Tuesday with, undiminisliei > desperation on the wliole of the Vistul: j and Yuciorna front. Our troops on th left bank cf the Lower San pierced tli enemy's line on Wednesday. * We captured a fortified position ii the Rndnil; district, where we took fou thousand prisoners. Our offensive oi the whole front to the mouth of the Wis loda is developing successfully. _ As Przemysl, owing to tlie condition o. its artillery and works, which, the Aus trians destroyed capitulation, wa: admittedly incapable of defending itself its retention only served our purpos< until our possession of the positions sur rounding the town northward facilitated the operations on the San. When tin enemy captured Jaroslav and Ladymno and spread along the right bank, tin ' maintenance of those positions forced ;i: ; to fight an unequal and very difficili 1 .rent, increasing it by twenty-two miles and subjecting us to the concentrated fin of the enemy's numerous heavy guns. RUSSIANS OUT-GUNNED. SANGUINARY FIGHTING. Amsterdam, June 3. An official report from Vienna states: Since 3.,)0 this morning Przcmys] is again in our possession. . , Berlin, June 3. The Russian counter-attacks against our defensive columns east of Jaroslav completely failed. General von Linsingen's army advanced to Zydaczovv, northeast of Stry. The booty from the battle of Stry amounts to lit) ollicers, 12,175 men, 1-t cannon and 35 machine-guns. Petrograd, June 3. Oflieial: The enemy bombarded Przemysl with hiin. guns. The. principal attack was on the north front of forts 10 and 11, which the Austrians had almost demolished 'before the sitirrender in March. We repulsed tho attacks, 'bus the enemy captured several of our guns, which fired till the enemy were almost at their muzzles and the'last shell had ■been spent. Between Lysmenitza and Stry the enemy concentrated much artillery, iuid a large force made stubborn attack. They achieved some success. We took part of tlip enemy's position on the right bank of the Bystritza. We almost completed annihilated the second, third, and fourth Tyrol regiments westward of Rubuitt. The enemy at Bzura on Tuesday used gas largely, but the wind changing blew it back to the enemy's trenches. A large number of Germans emerged and ran, crouching, along the wire front, cur fire decimating them. ENTRY OF PRZEMYSL. I THE AUSTRIAN ACCOUNT. J Received June 4, 8 30 p.m. Vienna, .June 4. Official: The Germans stormed the last Russian position north of Przemysl last Wednesday night, and entered from the north while our tenth corps entered from the west and the south a few hours later. The attack on the Allies' seetor north of Stryi is progressing success, fully. THE GERMAN ACCOUNT. DUE TO AUSTRIAN ARTILLERY. Received June 4, 4.30 p.m. London, June 3. ' A Berlin report states that the capture of Przemysl was due to the fall of three of the permanent woriis on the northern front. The newly-created fortifications were quite unable to resist the heaviest Austrian artillery. The Russians brought up troops, munitions and guns into the fortress while the railway and military road to Lcmberg were not under fire. When the Germans and Austrians shelled tho railway and the .road the Russians precipitately removed their men and provisions. RUSSIAN ATTACK CHECKED. HAND-TO-HAND FIGHTING. Received June 4, 4.30 p.m. London, June 3. The Daily Chronicle's Petrograd correspondent states that the Germans were unable to continue their advance oil the right bank of the San or get astride (lie Lemberg road. General Mackenscn left the main force to hold the trenches while ' lie withdrew a large detachment for a direct attack on the. forts. The attackers were strengthened by troops from General Marjitz's army south of Przemysl, under cover of heavy artillery fire. The. Germans on Sunda\| advanced the assault on the north-western and western forts on a twenty mile front, and moved down a ravine from Mackowice to fort No. 11, where they were checked. The (ienmuis approached the most westerly fort bv forest paths, and breaking the entanglements, charged over the fosses to the concrete forts. There were fierce hand-to-hand fights, in which hoth used bayonets and butt-ends. The situation was serious on .Monday afternoon.