Advance on Lens

Battle of the San

Germans Checked in Galicia

In the Berlin official reports issued yesterday on both banks of the Wisznice, the German troops are ‘making good’ but the communique also contains a notable admission.

The paragraph reads: ‘in order to arrest the advance of the Allied (Germanic) troops in Galicia the Russians, with fresh forces from other theatres of war, attempted attacks on the right bank of the San at several points. Near Sieniawa our weak forces were thrown back to the left bank of the San by the Russians, whereby we lost six guns, which we were unable to withdraw in time.’ What object the German headquarters had in making this announcement will perhaps be revealed later but we are entitled to read into it an acknowledgement that the enemy are not having it all their own way.

It is, nevertheless, the fact that the position of affairs in this eastern theatre is far from satisfactory.

The salient near Permyal is being badly battered North and South, and, according to German accounts, not only in the fortress town, but the railway behind it, in danger of falling into German hands.

The operations at present being conducted with such vigour are, however, critical in a double sense – the position is one full of peril for both sides.

The enemy are endeavouring to drive a large section of the Russian Army behind the forts to cut the line north and south, and to reduce the town and capture such forces as have been isolated from the main body by the success of these plans.

Now it is clear that the German leaders have staked pretty well their all upon this throw. If it succeeds, the Russians will have sustained a defeat of great magnitude, the effects of which will be felt for many months.

If the efforts fail, it means nothing short of disaster for the enemy.

If any case, the battle of the San will have an important bearing on the fortunes of the Central Empires if we can only hope that the evidence offered us of a Russian rally is to be rallied upon.

It may be repeated that, so far, Petrograd has not sought to deceive; we have always been able to depend upon the official reports and, indeed, their frankness had at times been almost startling.

With a record of this kind to go upon we should not become mistrustful now.

Thursday’s night report issued in Petrograd announced that formidable Austro-German attacks delivered on the whole of the Russian front between the Upper Vistula and the San on the night of May 25-26 were everywhere repulsed with loss.

South of Permysl, and between Permysl and the marshes of the Dniester a ‘very stubborn battle continues with great intensity.’ Last night’s report states that ‘In Galicia fighting on the San continues with the same intensity’, and on the debit side, it was added ‘South and East of Radymno the enemy gained ground on both banks of the San; East of Gussokow the enemy captured fresh trenches’.