IN THE EAST

Taranaki Daily News, 21 August 1915, Page 5

IN THE EAST

CAPTURE OF KOVNO. ADMITTED BY RUSSIA. Received August 20, 5.5 p.m. Petrograd, August 19. A cominuniquo admits that the Germans liave occupied Kovno town. ANOTHER GERMAN SUCCESS. BATTERING THE NORTHERN SECTOR. Received August 20, 8.20 p.m. Pctrograd, August 20. A communique confirms the German success at Novo Georgievsk and the battering in the northern sector continues. GERMAN TACTICS. THE LESSON OF KOVNO. SANGUINARY AND TERRIFIC COMBATS. Received August 20, 0.20 p.m. Petrograd, August 20. The German tactics at Kovno consisted of feigning to advance on Viikonir, with a view to engaging portion of the Russian forces, and then throwing the whole weight of violent artillery and infantry attacks on the western sector of the fortress. This sector is bounded by the Pessia, flowing in a deep gully parallel to Kovno, the Vierz-Bolovo railway, and by the left bank of the Niemen, northwestward of the town. The lesson of Kovno is that of Antwerp and Maubeuge, namely, that given ',vn attacking force with sufficient sixteen inehers and with a complete disregard cf intense sacrifices of life, modern fortresses prove only a temporary obstacle. The Germans' great and incessant effects at Kovno, and attempts to effect a landing in the Baltic, in the far north, possibly showed the importance attached to operations in the northern sector. Their haste indicates a desire to finish their task before being caught in the November rains and snow, amid the impassable roads and swamps of the Russian North. Fighting at Digry, westward of Kovno, is exceedingly sanguinary. The Germans were greatly weakened, but_ sent more and more reinforcements. The bombardment of the Russian position was terrific, many shells being filled with glass. Assaults were repeatedly repulsed, but were again and again renewed, resulting in the enemy's latest success between the Niemen and the Pessia.

AWFUL SLAUGHTER. 120,000 GERMANS IN TWO DAYS. Received August 20, 11.45 p.m. Geneva, August 20. Telegrams from Innsbruck say that the capture of Kovno cost the Germans several army corps. They lost thirty thousand at Dabißsa in three weeks, and 120,000 at Kovno exclusively in the final two days' assaults, beginning on the evening of the 17th. After an unprecedented bombardment, 2(10,000 Germans were hurled against the forts, and terrible butchery followed for several hours. The Russians fought with the bayonet till the end.

REINFORCEMENTS FROM THE WEST. GEKMAST LOSSES, 80,000 WEEKLY. Received August 20, 11.45 p.m. Zurich, August 20. Between one hundred and two hundred thousand reinforcements have latterly proceeded from the western front towards Russia, and the movement continues. German losses are estimated at eighty thousand weekly. The Austrian are withdrawing largo forces from Galicia, across Hungary, to the southward, and substituting the Bohemian Landwehr.

RUSSIAN REPORT. ARTILLERY COMPEL A RETREAT. Received August 20, 11.45 p.m. Petrograd, August 20. Official: Our warships protecting Riga Gulf drew closer, owing to the enemy's superiority. The enemy at Kovno continues to vigorously develop Ilia success. He occupied the town and advanced further and established himself on the Isthmus between tlio Niemen and { the Wilica. Fighting continues with extraordinary tenacity froffil Ossowiec to Brest-Litovsk, and also on the lower Bobr, in the direction of Bielsk and near Vlodava. The enemy is attacking Novo Georgievsk forts on the right bank of the Vistula and on the Narew witli increasing vigor. The fighting is more determined, and our entanglements are covered wth heaps of German bodies, but the German artillery, developing a maximum intensity, silenced our guns and demolished the fortifications between the Wyra and the Narew, whereafter the defenders, despite all their efforts, were obliged to withdraw to the right bank of the Wyra. The Germans were thus enabled to concentrate their eil'orts on the northern sector between the Wyra and the Vistula. MORE GERMAN SUCCESSES. Amsterdam, August 19. A German communique states:—We took 3900 more prisoners at Kovno. The Russians:, under pressure resulting from the capture, of the town, are now evacuating the positions opposite Kalwarja and Suwalki. We forced a crossing of (lie Narew we,t of Tykociu, taking 800 prisoners. North of we reached the railway from Bielystok to Brest Litovsk, taking 2000 prisoners. We conquered Bokra district, north-east of Novo Georgievsk. We stormed and captured the fort* on the northern front, with over n thousand prisoners and 125 guns. Prince Leopold'- annv lias driven the enemy from strong positions north of Millnik. The enemy evacuated the east bank of the Bug below and above Wlodanr«.