South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-11-25
British Press Bureau Statement
Confirms Report That Ger
mans Have Pressed Allies
Hard in Western Theater.
TEUTONS ONCE WITHIN
NINE MILES OF WARSAW
Then Suffer Check and Are
Forced to Retire From Strait
egic Positions of Great In
pOrtanCe Before Advance.

LONDON, Nov. 25.-Recapture Of
trenches taken by the Germans from
3 the Indian troops is announced in an
official statement issued by the British
official press bureau today. 1t mas
been rumOred here for some time that
the Indians were being hard pressed
BY the Germans. but today's official
statement was the first direct con-
firmation Of these reports.
The situation is unchanged" said
the official statement THE Indian
troops have retaken the trenches they
lost. They captured three German
officers, over 100 men. one mortar and
three machine guns"
Regarding the campaign In the
east, Prof. Pares says:
"The Germans got within nine miles
of Warsaw on their drive toward that
city. If they had been able to occupy
the town and seize the bridges over the
Vistula they would have established
enormous political and military ad-
vantage which could only have been
overthrOwn with the greatest diff
Guilty. Though Warsaw is beyond the
Russian line Of defense, the Russians
were determined to hold 1T.
Russians Raze Church.
During the lighting in that region,
the Germans 6GlZeu a nuIuucI Ol res
idents Of Rakitna and placed them in
the vault of a church. Then they
barricaded the church and began fir
ing upon the Russians from the win
dows The Russians showed no hesi-
tatiOn in turning their guns upon the
church, which they soon reduced TO
ruins as we'll as a number of other
buildings in the vicinity.
The northern end Of the battle line
was at Blonie. about 20 miles west of
Warsaw, At SOChaCZeV, so miles west
of Blonie. high bridge over the river
had been dynamited at both ends. At
I LowiCZ, Is miles west of SOchacIeV, a
\ bridge was destroyed by the Germans
but was repaired by the pursuing
'Russians Lowicz, as we'll as other
towns in the district, show few signs
OF German occupation, although the
invaders took all the supplies they
could find"
Coal stores Fired.
rsrof Pares made reference to the
deep mud which impeded the progress
of both armies and then said:
AT Nokra the houses bore German
chalk marks. showing where troops
had been billeted. At SkterneW1cz
the coal stores at the railway station
had been fired and were still burning
when the Russians entered the place.
From Skiernewicz l Travelled toward
the northwest, passing over fine mil
itarv position carefully prepared by
the Germans. lit commanded a view
Of the surrounding country Tor ~
miles. The Germans had abandoned
il without any signs of resistance.
"A nearby hill was held by the Ger
mans and behind it we could see their
rifle pits Their artillery at this point
did practically no damage.
Infantry in BayOnct Charge.
The Russian infantry charged the
Germans with fixed bayonets, routing
them Among the 800 German dead
left behind were boys 13 and IA years
..The colonel commanding the Rus
slams i'm this charge afterward re-
eeived "a message OF congratulauon
from Commander-in-Chief Rennen-
kampf
AT the next village most of the
houses had been destroyed and groups
cf peasants were standing about show
ing signs of deep grief at the loss or
their homes The Germans were eNl-
IDENTITY retreaung very rapidly Wnen
they passed through that district.
When I reached SkierneWlcz / had
followed the Russian advance 70 miles
from Warsaw.
"Tbe Russian center was much
stronger than the Germans had anti
cipated. All their attacks were re
pulsed. ANY real success 10y the Ger
mans was Impossible.
'The king of SaxOny, whose an
cestors had been kings OF Poland, mad
sant am official with presents and deco
,afions for those who distinguished
themselves i'm the fighting.
.I-pon being defeated the Germans
,ritbdrew. but their retirement was
,narxed by great speed and regularity
of movement and the country through
which they passed was not devastated
There is no evidence OF any atroci-
TIES