My War Memories, 1914-1918
and the Entente did not succeed in getting news of these movements. It is, indeed, extremely difficult to obtain accurate information about the enemy, especially in time for it to be of any use. If it were otherwise, conducting a campaign with inferior numbers would not be such an extraordinarily difficult task. We were favoured by luck at Tannenberg.
Some parts of the Russian Army which had retired towards Kovno thus stood on our flank, and attacked us incessantly with a view to holding up our advance. It was in vain. They were thrown back on the Kovno-Olita line by the troops pro tecting the flank of the loth Army.
On the evening of the I4th it seemed as though it would be possible to complete the envelopment of the enemy due east of Augustowo. General von Eichhorn diverted his left wing in this direction. On the I5th and i6th the advance guard of the 2ist A.C. advanced on the Seiny-Augustowo chaussee, far into the forest, but here they were overrun by Russian columns pouring back eastwards, and part was taken prisoner. Up to February i8th forces of the loth Army pushed on boldly along the northern edge of the forest to the vicinity of Grodno. Here they took up a position facing west with their rear close to the fortifications. This bold and venturesome movement cut off the enemy's retreat. Other German troops penetrated the forest from the north, and after the capture of Augustowo reached the Grodno Lipsk chausste and the Bobr below Krasnybor, fighting all the way. At Lipsk the ring was closed.
The position of our troops before Grodno was exceedingly hazardous. On the 20th and 2ist violent attacks were made from the fortress where the Russian reinforcements had assembled. The Russians made repeated attacks from the Augustowo Forest, into which they had poured in their retreat, The German troops stood firm, though suffering heavy losses.
It was a brilliant piece of work for the 2ist A.C., and its leader, General Fritz von Below, who afterwards made good as an Army Commander in the West, had reason to be proud of his troops and his own forcefulness. The Staff of the loth Army could claim a share of the glory with good conscience.
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