My War Memories, 1914-1918
This would be accomplished, if we were able to force them back from Warsaw. If we were too weak to do this, we must content ourselves with the lesser result, and even that would be of great importance.
XI
In November fighting developed as anticipated. The Russian armies everywhere started upon the execution of the great tasks set them by the Grand Duke.
The 8th Army found itself attacked. Even though it had been depleted of the ist and 25th R.C., it made an attempt to hold the East frontier of East Prussia against the overwhelming Russian assaults, but it was not able to do so permanently. Towards the middle of November, we withdrew it to the Masurian Lakes-river Angerapp position.
Thus the Eastern part of East Prussia was once more exposed to a Russian invasion. It suffered heavily, but, although this was to be foreseen, we could not help drawing on the 8th Army. The Russians followed close upon their heels and also attacked them in their new positions. In spite of all this we decided to bring the ist Inf. Div. of the gth Army up to join in the fighting, west of the Vistula. We staked much in order to attain our objective at this most important point.
Zastrow's Corps was assailed in its positions between Mlawa and Prasnysz and found itself forced to retire to the Soldau-Neidenburg line. Here the advance of the enemy was checked after heavy fighting. The whole situation east of the Vistula seemed gravely imperilled, and West Prussia, in particular, was immediately threatened, but Zastrow's Corps did its duty. We lived through many an anxious hour in Posen, but the arrival, in the middle of November, of von Hollen's Cavalry Corps on both wings improved the situation.
Von Westernhagen's Landsturm Brigade reached Plock, and, later on, was brought over to the left bank of the Vistula.
In the meantime, the deployment of the gth Army had been
104