The Story of the Great War, Volume 3: History of the European War from Official Sources
History
The Story of the Great War, Volume 3: History of the European War from Official Sources
World War, 1914-1918
While the struggle for the passes was raging in the central
Carpathians an interesting campaign was being conducted in Eastern
Galicia and the Bukowina between Von Pflanzer-Baltin and Lechitsky.
There we left the Russians in possession of Stanislawow, which they
had reoccupied on March 4, 1915. Two days before, an Austrian
detachment of infantry and two divisions of cavalry attempted a raid
into Russian territory near the Bessarabian frontier. Within
forty-eight hours they were hurled back. Beyond local skirmishes and
maneuvering for positions, nothing of importance happened from March 4
till the 15th, when the Russians attacked the main Austrian forces
southeast of Czernowitz. Crossing the River Pruth opposite
Ludihorecza, which lies about 600 feet high, and where the Czernowitz
waterworks are situated, the Russians occupied the place and
threatened the Austrian position in the town, around which pressed
laborers were digging trenches night and day for the defenders. Along
the line between Sadagora and Old Zuczka the Russians had been settled
for over six months. The Austrians attacked this position on March 21,
1915, with the aid of reenforcements and compelled the Russians to
evacuate Sadagora. While falling back in the south the Russians
endeavored to advance in the north, from the direction of Czerniavka,
and outflank the Austrians. Violent fighting raged for several days,
especially northeast from Czernowitz to beyond Rarancze, with the
result that the Russians were compelled to withdraw toward Bojan, near
their own frontier, on March 27. Three days later some Hungarian
Honved battalions, who had penetrated into Russian territory near
Szylowce, were surrounded by Cossacks and severely handled. Besides
many killed and wounded the Austrians lost over 1,000 prisoners, and
by April 2, 1915, the Russians had thrown the remainder back across
their borders. On April 10, 1915, the Russians withdrew from Bojan,
but returned on the 14th. Here, at the close of April, they
concentrated large reenforcements and recovered most of the ground
they had lost since the middle of March.
Some twenty miles northwest of Czernowitz, sheltered in a loop of the
Dniester, lies an important fortified town called Zaleszczyki. It had a
population of over 76,000, and is a station on the branch line
connecting Czortkow junction with the Kolomca-Czernowitz railway. From
the dense forests east of the town an Austrian column commanded by Count
von Bissingen had attempted during the night of March 22-23, 1915, to
turn the adjacent Russian positions, held by Cossacks and Siberian
fusiliers. A furious fight developed, and the Austro-Hungarian column,
which included some of the finest troops, was repulsed with heavy loss.
Two other attempts were made here, on April 10 and 17, 1915. On the
latter date a detachment of Tyrolese sharpshooters were trapped in the
wire entanglements and annihilated.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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