My War Memories, 1914-1918
while in the West England and France were gaining their first successes on the Somme. We managed to hold out against the attacks, and beat them off in battles lasting many days.
The line of Woyrsch's Group was successfully forced at the point where it was held by Austro-Hungarian troops. To fill the gap we threw in all our carefully hoarded reserves. They held their ground, and from July 8th onwards the battle here died down.
The Russian offensive at the bend of the Styr, north of Lutsk, was completely successful. The Austro-Hungarian troops let their lines be broken through in several places. The German units that had been sent to help were once more in a critical position, and on July 7th General von Linsingen was compelled to withdraw his left wing behind the Stochod. The right wing of Field-Marshal Prince Leopold of Bavaria's Army Group— part of Gronau's Group, south of the Pripet—had to retire also.
This was one of the greatest crises on the Eastern Front. We had little hope that the Austro-Hungarian troops would be able to hold the line of the Stochod, which was unfortified.
We took the risk of denuding our lines still further, and Field-Marshal Prince Leopold of Bavaria followed our example. Although the Russian attack might begin again at any moment, we extended our line and released single regiments in order to support the left wing of Linsingen's Army Group, northeast and east of KoweL If this wing were to retreat still further it was impossible to imagine when it would end. Those were terribly anxious days. We gave up everything we had, knowing full well that if the enemy were to attack us no one could help us.
And that is just what happened.
On July i6th, the Russians, in enormous force, poured out from the Riga bridgehead west of the Dvina and gained ground at once.
We went through a terrible time until the crisis here was overcome, thanks to the valour of the troops and the careful handling of affairs by the Headquarters Staff of the 8th Army
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