WITH THE ARMY IN SOUTHERN POLAND
Dated:
A CERTAIN ARMY CORPS HEAD-QUARTERS
SOMEWHERE IN SOUTHERN POLAND
_June 1, 1915_.
To-day has been one of the most interesting that I have spent since I
came to Russia last September. The General commanding this certain army
corps, which, while the war lasts, must not be identified, carefully
mapped out an ideal day for us, and made it possible of fulfilment
by placing two motors at our disposal and permitting a member of his
personal staff to accompany us as guide, philosopher and friend. This
very charming gentleman, M. Riabonschisky, represents a type which
one sees increasingly in the Russian Army as the war grows older. M.
Riabonschisky served his term of years in the army, and then being
wealthy and of a distinguished Moscow family, went into the banking
business, and the beginning of the war found him one of the leading
business men of the old Russian capital. With the first call he
instantly abandoned his desk and sedentary habits, and became again a
subaltern, which was his rank twenty odd years ago; when he came to the
Front it was as aide-de-camp of a General commanding an army corps.
In a shabby uniform and with face tanned to the colour of old leather
one now finds the Moscow millionaire working harder than a common
soldier. Our friend had by no means confined his activities to routine
work at head-quarters, but as the St. George’s Cross on his breast
indicated, had seen a bit of active service as well. Though he talked
freely enough on every known subject, I found him uncommunicative on
the subject of his Cross denoting distinguished merit in the face of an
enemy. A little persistent tact, however, finally got out of him that
before Lublin, in a crisis on the positions, he had gone to the front
line trenches in a motor car loaded with ammunition for the troops who
for lack of it were on the point of retiring. With the return trip he
brought out all the wounded his car could hold. This, then, was the
former banker who now accompanied us on a tour of inspection of the
army of which he was as proud as the Commanding General himself was.
[Illustration: Russian first-line trench near Lublin.
The companion picture shows the German position through loop-hole.]
[Illustration: German position near Lublin.
Photo taken through loop-hole in trench.]
Leaving our head-quarters we drove south through a beautiful woodland
for nearly two hours, to the headquarters of that certain division of
the army which has covered itself with glory in the recent fighting
around Opatov, where we were received cordially by the commander.
Telegrams sent ahead had advised him of our arrival, and he had done
his part in arranging details that our trip might be as interesting
as possible. After a few minutes drinking tea and smoking cigarettes
we again took cars and motored for another 16 versts to the town of
Opatov, where one of the brigade head-quarters was located. This quaint
old Polish town with a castle and a wall around it has been three times
visited by the tide of battle, and the hills about it (it lies in a
hollow) are pitted with the caves made by the uneasy inhabitants, whose
experience of shell fire has been disturbing. One imagines from the
number of dugouts one sees that the whole population might easily move
under ground at an hour’s notice. However, in spite of the tumult of
battles which have been fought around it, Opatov has not been scarred
by shell fire.
From here we went directly west on the road to Lagow for perhaps 5
versts, when we turned off suddenly on to a faint road and down into
a little hollow where a tiny village nestled in which we were told
we should find the head-quarters of a certain regiment that we had
come to visit. As our cars came over the crest of the hill we noticed
assembled on a flat field, that lay in the hollow, absolutely concealed
from the outside world, a block of troops standing under arms. My first
impression was that this was a couple of reserve units just going back
to the trenches to relieve their fellows. We were delighted at such a
bit of luck. On pulling up our cars by the side of the road we found
ourselves greeted by the Colonel and staff of the regiment, to whom we
were introduced by our guide. After a few words in Russian my friend
turned, his face wreathed in smiles, and said, “The Colonel is very
kind; he has ordered a review for your inspection.”
With the staff we strolled up to the centre of the field, where on
two sides we faced two of the most magnificent battalions of troops
that it has ever been my fortune to see, while on the third side were
parked the machine-gun batteries of the regiment. For a few minutes we
stood in the centre of the three-sided square while the Colonel, with
unconcealed pride, told us something of the history of the regiment
that stood before us. Its name and its corps must not be mentioned,
but it is permissible to say that it is from Moscow and is one of the
oldest regiments in the Russian service, with traditions running
back for 125 years. It is one of the two formations of the entire
Russian army which is permitted to march in review with fixed bayonets,
a distinction acquired by 125 years of history marked by successful
work with cold steel.
[Illustration: March-past of the Gonogoriski Regiment.]
I have written in a previous chapter of the fighting around Opatov and
of the wonderful work done by the troops of this army corps. Now we
learned from the Colonel that it was his regiment that made the march
over the mountain, and fell with the bayonet upon the flank of the 25th
Austrian division with such an impetus and fury that every man had
killed or captured a soldier of the enemy. That we might not minimize
the glory of his men the Colonel assured us that the Austrian 25th was
no scrub Landwehr or reserve formation, but the very élite of the élite
of the Austrian army, embodying the famous Deutschmeister regiment from
Vienna, which was supposed to be the finest organization of infantry
in the Hapsburg realm. What we saw before us were two of the four
battalions of the Moscow regiment who were in reserve for a few days’
rest, while their brothers in the other two battalions were 4 versts
forward in the fighting line.
Suddenly the Colonel turned about and in a voice of thunder uttered
a command, and instantly the two thousand men became as rigid as
two thousand statues. Another word, and with the click of a bit of
well-oiled mechanism, two thousand rifles came to the present. Another
command from the Colonel and the regimental band on the right flank,
with its thirty pieces of brass, burst forth with “Rule Britannia.” A
moment’s silence followed, and then came the strains of the American
National Anthem, followed in turn by the Russian National Anthem.
As the last strain died away there came another sharp command from the
Colonel, and once more the mechanism clicked and two thousand guns came
to the ground as one. Then, stepping out from the little group of the
staff, the Colonel addressed the regiment in a deep melodious voice
in words that carried to the furthest man. I have written much of the
rapidly growing feeling of friendship and affection between England
and Russia. For six months I have noticed a gradual development of
this sentiment, but I have never realized until this day that it was
percolating to the very foundations of the Russian people. In Petrograd
and Moscow one naturally expects the diplomats and politicians to
emphasize this point to a member of the press. But out at the Front
these men who deal in steel and blood are not given to fine phrases,
nor are they wont to speak for effect. For ten months their lives have
been lives of danger and hardships, and in their eyes and in their
faces one sees sincerity and truth written large for those who study
human nature to read. The speech was to me so impressive that it seems
well worth while to quote the officer’s stirring words, words which
found an echo in the heart of the writer, who is an American citizen
and not a British subject at all. With his hand held aloft the Colonel
said:--
[Illustration: Men of the Gonogoriski Regiment cheering King George V.]
“Attention,--Gentlemen, officers and soldiers: We have to-day the
honour to receive the representatives of the great English nation, our
faithful allies now fighting with us for the good of us all to punish
our common treacherous enemy. They are dear to our hearts because
they are conducting this war with such sacrifices and such incredible
bravery. It is a great pleasure and privilege for our regiment to see
among us the representatives of the country where dwell the bravest
of the brave. This regiment, beloved of Suvoroff, will always do its
uttermost to uphold the reputation of Russian arms, that they may be
worthy to fight this battle shoulder to shoulder with their noble
allies in the British army. Officers and soldiers, I call for a hearty
cheer for the great King of England. Long live George the Fifth.”
The response came from two thousand lungs and throats with the
suddenness of a clap of thunder. Out of the misery and chaos of this
world-disaster there is surely coming a new spirit and a new-found
feeling of respect and regard between the allied nations, a feeling
which in itself is perhaps laying the foundation of a greater peace
movement than all the harangues and platitudes of the preachers of
pacificism. Before this war I dare say that England and the English
meant nothing to the peasant soldier of Russia. This is no longer true,
and to stand as I stood in this hollow square and listen for five
minutes to these war-stained veterans cheering themselves hoarse for
the ally whom they have been taught to consider the personification
of soldierly virtues, was to feel that perhaps from this war may
come future relations which the next generation will look back upon
as having in large measure justified the price. The Colonel raised
his hand and instantly the tumult died away. The Colonel courteously
invited me to address the Regiment on behalf of England, but as a
neutral this was an impossible role.
[Illustration: Men of the Gonogoriski Regiment.]
Afterwards the Colonel ordered a review of the two battalions, and in
company formation they passed by with their bayonets at the charge and
with every eye fixed on the commander, while every officer marched at
the salute. I have never seen a more impressive body of men. Dirty
and shabby, with faces tanned like shoe leather, and unshaven,
they marched past, the picture of men of action. In each face was the
pride of regiment and country and the respect of self. As they passed,
company after company, the beaming Colonel said to me, “When my men
come at the charge the Austrians never wait for them to come into the
trenches. They fire on us until we are within ten feet and then they
fall on their knees and beg for quarter.” As the writer looked into
these earnest serious faces that passed by, each seamed with lines of
grim determination and eyes steeled with the hardness engendered by
war, he felt an increased respect for the Austrian who waited until
the enemy were within ten feet. Somehow one felt that a hundred feet
start would be an insufficient handicap to get away from these fellows
when they came for one with their bayonets levelled and their leather
throats howling for the blood of the enemy.
After the infantry we inspected the machine-gun batteries of the
regiment, and with special pride the Colonel showed us the four
captured machine-guns taken from the Austrians in the recent action,
together with large quantities of ammunition. After the machine-guns
were examined, the heroes of the St. George’s Cross, decorated in the
recent battle, were brought forward to be photographed. Then the band
played the air of the regiment, while the officers of the regiment
joined in singing a rousing melody which has been the regimental song
for the 125 years of its existence. Then, preceded by the band, we
went to the Colonel’s head-quarters, where lunch was served, the band
playing outside while we ate.
The head-quarters of the Colonel were in a schoolhouse hurriedly
adapted to the needs of war. Our table was the children’s blackboard
taken from the walls and stretched between two desks, the scholars’
benches serving us in lieu of chairs. The only thing in the whole
establishment that did not reek of the necessities of war was the food,
which was excellent. The rugged Colonel, lean as a race horse and as
tough as whipcord, may in some former life when he was in Moscow have
been an epicure and something of a good liver. Anyway the cooking was
perfection.
In conversation with a number of the men who sat at table, I heard
that their regiment had been in thirty-four actions since the war had
started. The Colonel himself had been wounded no less than three times
in the war. One Captain of the staff showed me a hat with a bullet
hole in the top made in the last battle; while the Lieutenant-Colonel
laughingly told me that they could not kill him at all; though he
received seventeen bullets through his clothes since the war started
he had never been scratched in any action in which he had been engaged.
The tactical position of a Colonel in the Russian army is in the rear,
I am told, but in this regiment I learned from one of the officers, the
Colonel rarely was in the rear, and on more than one occasion he had
led the charge at the very head of his men.
AN AFTERNOON AT THE “POSITIONS”