A Russian artillery detachment from the Black Sea Division pulling its guns across a stream, February 24, 1915. © Copyright by Underwood and Underwood, N.Y.
S 178291Reverse:Copyright by Underwood and Underwood, N.Y.Russian Artillery, Black Sea Division Going into Action.Russian artillery has become famous as the most useful and efficient of the Czar's forces in the field. They are highly trained and have on more than one occasion proved their value. A gun crew and the horses are seen here pulling their guns through a stream at full speed. The detachment here shown is part of Russia's Black Sea Division. 2/24/1915.
"The past, gloomy year of 1915, with its hopeless defeats, culminating in the great Spring and Summer Retreat of the Russian Armies, was stamped with unspeakable tragedy, suffering and frustration. It was warfare at its cruellest and worst. Now the tables have been reversed. Instead of retreat, it is ADVANCE! We traversed the Austrian countryside — still showing signs of springtime's generous flowering — and we revelled in that knowledge that our Russian armies, and those of our brave Allies on the far-Western Front, were gaining success after success. But as we followed in the rear of our advancing troops, the trail of devastation left by war was painfully visible . . ."
Florence Farmborough, an English nurse serving with the Russian Red Cross, writing on July 22 (July 9 Old Style), 1916, as the Russian advance of the Brusilov Offensive continued to drive back the Austro-Hungarians and again, as in 1914, threatened an advance through the Carpathian Mountains to Budapest. In 1915 the Russians had retreated as much as 300 miles before the German-Austro-Hungarian Gorlice-Tarnow Offensive. In 1916, the French had held against the German siege of Verdun, French and British Empire forces we pushing back the Germans in the Battle of the Somme, and the Italians had lost ground but ultimately held in the face of the Austro-Hungarian Asiago Offensive.
Nurse at the Russian Front, a Diary 1914-18 by Florence Farmborough, page 209, copyright © 1974 by Florence Farmborough, publisher: Constable and Company Limited, publication date: 1974
1916-07-22, 1916, July, Brusilov Offensive
