THE RETREAT.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 July 1917, Page 5

THE RETREAT.

ENGINEEREI) BY THE GERMANS. DESERTERS SHOT WHOLESALE. Times Service. Received July 30, G. 43 p.m. London, July 29. Mr. Wilton, the w«r correspondent, in a remarkable cablo from Russian headquarters dated the 27th, states that fin imprisoned German officer boasted on the 2nd inst. that the Germans were preparing a bold stroke in conjunction with their agents at iPetrograd. The armies of Russia, he said, would run, and the Germans would have a walk over. Lenin's agems, before the news of tho Petrograd crisis reached headquarters, spread reports that the soldiers and Maximalists controlled tho Government, and that the war was over. The execution of the German plan l>ecame .'iinplo. It struck at the most sensitive point, the moment when General Korniloff was superseding General Gutor in [the south-western command. The Sixth Grenadier Division deserted j wholesale and fled, exposing tho right I'ank of the Seventh Army. General Korniloff had eight divisions in reserve, but tho stall's ol the armies were left in tho dark. General Korniloff had to go to Stanislau to transfer the command of thu Eighth Array to General Chcremisof. It was the 22nd before the information was available.

Mr. Wilton joined tho transport of the British aviation section at Podgaice. The officers managed to remove the planes and material under the full blast ( .f the Russian panic. Mr. Wilton says the transport ollicers fought their way with sticks and revolvers, got ahead of the rout, and placed lorries across the roads, thus stemming tho panic.

in a town, whence the enemy was fifty miles away, he saw a man on a horse" yelling: ' ; The German cavalry are behind! Save yourselves!" Indescribable confusion ensued, a multitude of deserters, transport cars, lorries, and ambulances racing east. The man was arrested and proved to bo a Gemma spy. British sections at Korawa fought galhntlv, covering the retreat. General Seiivachof, commanding the Seventh \rmv, states they delayed the Germans for t'weui v hours, and fought a series of reartruartf actions. They lost many cars. t-ome were abandoned becauso the deserters swarmed aboard, Mr. Wilton adds that General Korniloff is executing deserters wholesale.