Another Russian fortress is reported to have fallen into the hands of the Germans. The announcement is made from Berlin that Osowiec, has been occupied by the troops under General von Eichhorn after it had been evacuated by the Russians. There is as yet no confirmation of the event from Petrograd. Osowiec, though it ranked only as a minor fortress has, on three occasions at least, played a distinguished part in checking previous German invasions of Poland. Situated on the Bobr, with Augustowo to the north and Bielsk to the south, it defended the only good passage across the swampy valley of marshes through which the river flows.
THE GERMAN CLAIM.
Berlin, Aug 23. German official report: Marshal von Hindenburg’s Army. The troops under General von Eichhorn are further advancing east and south of Kovno. On the Bobr we occupied the fortress of Osowiec, which was evacuated by the Russians. North and south of Tykocin successful fighting took place. We captured Tykecin, taking 1,200 prisoners, among them 11 officers. Seven machine-guns also fell into our hands.
[The Wireless Press version of the communique gives the number of machine-guns captured as 77. It adds that “desperate Russian counter-attacks east of Bielsk failed, with very considerable losses to the enemy. We advanced south of this town.”]
ARMY GROUP OF MARSHAL VON MACKENSEN. The enemy put up a tenacious resistance between Razna and the Bug. An attack across the Bug above the Pulwa sector is progressing. Before Brest Litowsk the situation is unchanged. On both sides of the Lakes of Switjas and near Piszcza, east of Wlodawa, the enemy was defeated yesterday and driven north-eastwards. Reuter.
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The Wireless Press reports the following from Berlin in addition to the above: The Army of Prince Leopold of Bavaria. Accompanied by stubborn fighting this Army group has crossed the Kleszczele-Razna line and is engaged in further favourable attacks. Three thousand and fifty prisoners were taken and 16 machine guns captured.
[Yesterday’s German official report stated that Prince Leopold’s Army group crossed the Kleszczele-Wysoko Litowsk railway on Saturday and captured over 3,000 prisoners and a number of machine guns.]
THE SPOILS OF KOVNO. The following war news, sent from Berlin through German Wireless stations under date August 23, has been received by the Wireless Press: The German main headquarters state that, aIthough no definite figures of the booty taken at the fall of Kovno are yet to hand, the number of prisoners is more than 20,000. More than 600 cannon were captured, many of which are modern heavy ones. Enormous quantities of ammunition and innumerable machine-guns, searchlight apparatus, motor cars, plenty of war materials, and all kinds of provisions, worth millions, were taken. It is evident that the Russians did not expect Kovno’s fall in the near future, and they offered stubborn resistance, even after the fall of the fortress. Hundreds of recruits were left behind in the town, and it is declared that 15,000 unarmed Russian reserves fled at the last moment front this strongest of Russian fortresses. PETROGRAD, Aug 23. Refugees state that 600 guns were concentrated on the first fort captured by the Germans at Kovno. The German batteries formed a great arc of guns, several deep, in the square in front of the shell destroyed facade of the Cathedral. Three Zeppelins and over 30 aeroplanes flew over the fortress dropping bombs. Four regimental colours from Kovno have arrived at Moscow. They were preceded by a military band, and were escorted to the Kremlin, where they were deposited in the arsenal.
STUBBORN RUSSIAN DEFENCE. AMSTERDAM, Aug 23. Austrian official report: East of the Lower Pulwa and from Riasno to the railway leading northwards severe fighting is proceeding. The enemy is most stubbornly defending every inch of ground, but has been repulsed at several points along the front, losing many prisoners.
Our Transylvanian troops especially distinguished themselves in some hot fighting near the villages of Cola and Suchodol, north of Riasno. Our infantry regiment Number 64, in storming an entrenchment defended by Russian Grenadiers, captured seven officers and 900 men and took seven machine-guns.
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There is nothing new before Brest-Litowsk. In the sector Vladimir Volynsky we have advanced our entrenchments to near Twryjsk, east of Luboml. The Russians were driven back. In Eastern Galicia all is quiet.