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
The Russian General Staff on the first of March, 1915, devoted an
explicit account to the fighting about Przasnysz which differs but
slightly from the narrative by the German Great Headquarters which has in
general been followed in the preceding description. Both sides apparently
considered the operation of special importance, and as reflecting credit
upon their respective troops. The Russian story emphasizes the attacks
made by their force on the line Lyssakowo-Chainovo simultaneously from
north and south, that is, both in the flank and in the rear of the
Germans to the west of Przasnysz. They represent their troops in the city
as having consisted of only a brigade of infantry and some insignificant
cavalry units. On the 25th of February, when the Germans had established
themselves in the town, the Russians, according to their account, were
pressing their enemies hard upon a long front from Krasnoseltz through
Vengerzinovo, Kolatschkowo to Voliaverlowska.
On the evening of this day they drove the Germans into positions close
to the city. The Thirty-sixth German Reserve Division on the same
evening is said to have met serious disaster after a determined
resistance at the crossings of the Anetz. On the evening of the next
day the Russians began to reenter Przasnysz, but did not completely
occupy the town until the night after the 27th. "The Germans," the
Russian account continues, "hereupon began a disorderly retreat,
endeavoring to withdraw in the direction of Mlawa-Chorgele. Regardless
of the exhaustion consequent upon the marching they had undergone and
four days of battle, our troops energetically took up the pursuit of
the enemy. On the 28th of February they inflicted serious losses upon
his rear guard. In these battles we seized a large amount of booty.
The total number of prisoners amounts to at least 10,000." The
Russians maintain that they had defeated no less than two German army
corps and thrown them back to the border.
On the 12th of March, 1915, the German Great Headquarters protested
against this version of the affair, and pointed to the fact that
within a few days their troops were again threatening Przasnysz, and
that since giving up the city they had captured on the battle fields
between the Vistula and the Orczy no less than 11,460 Russians.
The city of Przasnysz itself suffered heavily in these attacks and
counterattacks. For days and nights it had lain under bombardment and
repeatedly fierce, hand-to-hand combats had been fought in its
streets. Most of the houses of the place were left mere heaps of
smoking ruins.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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