WAR- CHRONICLE

26
Height. The centre forces had not been idle. In spite of enormous
losses caused by artillery and infantry fire, our troops pressed forward.
Oberstleutnant Baloz with his Honveds advanced almost as
far as the Uhlisko height, which he took by storm, while the troops
commanded by Oberst Kemmel made a flank attack. 500 Russians
were made prisoners. No sooner had Baloz taken up his position
on the hill, than Major Krimm brought up the batteries, commanded
by Oberleutnants Kunze and Brandil, thereby supporting the front
to such an extent that advanced sections of the central group could
take up a firm position on the extreme spurs of the Javirska. On
4th April, Easter Sunday, a general attack was inaugurated in
which the second echelon of the German reinforcements were
employed to the East of the Laborcz river. Suddenly a strong
Russian attack was undertaken from Virava against the right flank.
But the Germans, who bore the brunt of it, quickly formed a front
for their defence. Oberst Krebs hastened to their support while
the batteries at Vilag thundered on to the enemy's front at the
same time. The Russian losses were so great that they were forced
to retire towards Virava, where they sought cover. The centre
also made progress; Oberst Klein advancing considerably towards
the Javirska. Oberst Phleps proceeded from Uhlisko so far, that
he was able to stop the gap that had been caused between this
place and the right wing. Oberleutnant Keill taking advantage of
a good opportunity by means of his howitzers, advanced from one
of the Javirska Heights, so as to give the Germans good support,
who were deploying against the straggling ridge, which stretches
from Javirska to Alsocsebeny. Our left wing consisting of the
troops which had been withdrawn to the West of Laborcz, had
also proceeded to attack. The artillery from the Laborcz valley
gave splendid support to the German attack, our troops that cooperated,
being commanded by Oberstleutnant Adenek and Major
Waechter, assisted by those commanded by Major Schoen, the
Allied pushed forward from the western bank of the Laborcz
towards the positions at Hegyesczeben in spite of the violent artillery
fire to which the enemy subjected them. The remaining parts of
the left wing advanced on the ridge to the West of the Laborcz.
The 5th April, Easter Monday, brought complete success to
the battlefield. German and Austro-Hungarian batteries vied with
each other in their endeavours to destroy the enemy's exceptionally
strong positions situated between "Hill 584" and Kobila. Thanks
to these preliminaries, Oberst Kemmel's group was able to make
an assault on the positions at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The other
ingress to the Kobila, the Javirska, was taken in storm by the
40th infantry regiment, whereby the Germans were finally freed
from the flank fire, which up to this had prevented their advance
on the ridge, which stretches towards Alsocsebeny, thus securing
the capture of this section of the Vilsava valley. In the meantime
the Fate of the Kobila had been decided. Flanked from the Javirska