RUSSIAN RECOVERY

Fine success in Galicia

ENEMY PUT TO FLIGHT

Northern move foiled

THERE is distinctively better news from the eastern theatre – quite as good as anything envisaged yesterday and better than anyone anticipated in the printed word.

Twenty four hours ago it was reported that a new move against Riga was rapidly developing, and that Von Esseler had reached the Dvina at a point just south of Friedrichstadt. The latter place is between 40 and 50 miles south east of Riga.

The German possession of the bridge head at Friedrichstadt would have meant the command of the railway to Riga, the cutting of communications, and the isolation of the town.

It was surmised that the Russians intended to make a stout defence of the Dvina crossings, the importance of which, it was remarked, certainly justified a determined resistance.

Yesterday’s official Petrograd report to hand this morning covers the past few days operations in this region and it is shown that the enemy offensive had been well countered.

On the 29th a small force of Germans appear to have crossed the river but they were dislodged and during the following night a much more determined effort to force the crossing was made.

“Supported by the hurricane fire of their artillery,” says the Petrograd report, “they made several desperate attacks against our bridge-head. All these attacks were repulsed with great losses to the enemy.”

The report goes on to say that on the right bank of the Vilia River the Russians “passed to the offensive, which developed with success.”

All that is claimed for Von Hindenburg in the German official report is that “fighting for the bridge head south of Friedrichstadt is still proceeding,” which is the euphemism for a set-back.

The whole of the Russian report is of a heartening character but perhaps the most interesting portion relates to the fighting on the Galician front where it is very evident the enemy have had a severe drubbing.

After a period of inactivity the Austro-German troops on Sunday and Monday inaugurated a series of vigorous Attacks with the intention of clearing the Russians entirely from Galicia, opening with the customary violent artillery fire and using both heavy and light guns.

In the regions of Pomorazny and Zloczow as well as on the Strypa front between the railways leading to Tarnapol and Gzertkow, no fewer than eight successive onslaughts were delivered and it is evident that Mackenson was employing big forces. The Russians, too, must have been strong, for every Attack was repulsed and “enormous losses” were inflicted upon the enemy.

“In some districts” the report continues “the enemy was obliged to retreat precipitately. Thanks to our counter-attacks we scored a big success on a wide front, capturing 30 guns, 24 machine guns and about 3,000 prisoners, half of whom were Germans.”

The seizure of so many big guns is in itself an indication of the magnitude of the success achieved but it would be so rash to assume that it proves more than the Russian ability to hit hard whenever they find it necessary.

That they have scored heavily is, however, plain, for even Mackenson is obliged to admit that “the pursuit” was “arrested” at some points on the Strypa by the counter attacks of “strong Russian forces.”