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
More remarkable still was the fact that
they captured a big battery and carried off 7,000 prisoners. For five
days the storm raged backward and forward across the river; during the
more violent bombardments the Russians left their trenches to be
battered out of shape and withdrew into their shelter dugouts; when
the enemy infantry advanced to take possession, the Russians had
returned to face the charge. Whereas cool, machinelike precision
marks the German soldier in battle as on the parade ground, an
imperturbable obstinacy and total disregard of mortal danger
characterizes the Russian.
During the night of May 6-7, 1915, the Austrians sent two regiments
across the Wisloka, north and south of Brzostek, about midway between
Pilzno and Jaslo, under cover of artillery posted on a 400-foot hill
near Przeczyca on the opposite bank, _i.e._, the left. Austrian
engineers constructed a bridge across the river, and on the morning of
May 7 the Austrian advance guard were in possession of the hills north
of the town. Infantry were then thrown across to storm Brzostek. Here,
again, they met with resolute opposition from the Russian rear guards
covering the retreat of the main armies, which had already fallen back
from the Wisloka. Desperate bayonet fighting ensued in the streets,
each of which had to be cleared separately to dislodge the
Russians--the civilians meanwhile looking out of their windows
watching the animated scenes below. Hungarian troops in overwhelming
masses poured across the river and finally captured the town. Once
more on the backward move, the Russians established themselves along
the western and southern fringe of the forests by Januszkovice, only
eight miles away, and prepared to make another stand. More fighting
occurred here, and during May 7 and 8, 1915, the Russians fell back
farther toward Frysztak, on the river Wistok.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account