The Story of the Great War, Volume V (of 12): Neuve Chapelle, Battle of Ypres, Przemysl, Mazurian Lakes
History
The Story of the Great War, Volume V (of 12): Neuve Chapelle, Battle of Ypres, Przemysl, Mazurian Lakes
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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