19 JUNE 1915, Page 3

The special correspondent of the Times with the Russian forces

described in Monday's paper the wonderful conduct of the Russians on May 30th, apparently near Warsaw, when the Germans for the first time in Poland used poisonous gam. As the deadly vapour drifted towards the Russian trenches, the German sappers followed to cut the Russian entangle- ments. Behind the German attacking lines, again, came men carrying cylinders of oxygen for the relief of their own men. The Russian soldiers lay in their trenches as still as though they were dead. No doubt many did die before they could fire, but not a man gave way. The Germane were No convinced that the gas had killed them all that the last attacking groups brought their blankets in order to rest comfortably in the captured trenches. But when the Germans reached the entanglements the whole Russian line opened fire. The operators of the machine guns worked while their comrade. held wet bandages over their faces, till all of them collapsed together. But the Germans were completely routed, and the Russian reserves pursued them, clubbing and bayoneting them. In one place a shift of wind drove the gas back across the German lines. The Russians say that the shrieks of the German soldiers at this point were horrible to hear.