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Saturday, 11 April 2009
Emptsa, North Russia, The Times, 11 September 1919 Topic: BatzO - Emptsa
Emptsa
North Russia, 29 August 1919
The Times, 11 September 1919
The Times, 11 September 1919, p. 10.
The account is transcribed below.
The Times, 110 September 1919, p. 10
N. RUSSIAN EXPEDITION.
OFFICIAL STATEMENT TOMORROW.
Mr Churchill arrived at King's Cross shortly after 10 o'clock last night from Scotland. Been at the railway station he intimated that an official statement respecting North Russia would be issued tomorrow.
POSTS LOST AND REGAINED.
TheWar Office issued the following communiqué last night:
Telegrams from the C.-in.-C., North Russia, state that the enemy attacked on the Dvina and captured the two villages of Puchega and Ivanouskaya at 5 p.m. on the 6th, after a bombardment. A counter-attack resulted in the recapture of both villages, with considerable loss to the enemy.
On September 8 the Bolshevists attacked and drove in our advanced Russian troops on the Pinega River [east of Archangel]. The enemy has now been driven back by Russian troops, aided by aircraft, Russian troops have carried out successful operations on the [Archangel-Vologda] railway front, which have resulted in the capture of Terasovo [130 miles south-south-west of Archangel] and a considerable number of prisoners and machine-guns.
Fighting still continues in the neighbourhood of Kochmas, which lies between the railway and the Vaga river.
RUSSIAN CHARGÉ D'AFFAIRES IN LONDON.
M. Sazonoff, Foreign Minister in Admiral Koltchak's Government, has relieved. M. Nabokoff, Chargé d'Affaires of Russia in London, of his duties. He will be succeeded by M. Sabline, former Counsellor of the Embassy, who will now be in charge in London. - Reuter.
Emptsa, North Russia, The Times, 12 September 1919 Topic: BatzO - Emptsa
Emptsa
North Russia, 29 August 1919
The Times, 12 September 1919
The Times, 12 September 1919, p. 10.
The account is transcribed below.
The Times, 12 September 1919, p. 10.
NORTH RUSSIA WITHDRAWAL
DECISION IRREVOCABLE.
STATEMENT BY MR CHURCHILL.
OFFENSIVE TACTICS
The following statement concerning North Russia was issued last night by the War Office by direction of Mr Churchill:-
During the three weeks that have passed since Parliament rose, many rumours and statements have appeared in the newspapers about the military position in North Russia.
A full account of the policy of the British Government was given to the House of Commons on July 29 by the Secretary of State for War on behalf of the Cabinet. This policy was accepted by the House practically without challenge. It is being steadily and punctually executed, and the decisions on which it was based are irrevocable. General Rawlinson has been placed in supreme command of the British forces both in the Archangel and Murmansk regions, and he has been supplied with everything that he has asked for, and has been accorded the fullest discretionary power as to the time and method of evacuation. There is no reason to suppose that he will not succeed in his task, and succeed at an early date.
At the same time the peculiar difficulty of the operation of withdrawal must be realized. The Russian National forces both at Archangel and Murmansk are much more numerous than the British. The forces of the enemy on these fronts may well be equal to the British and National Russians combined. The attitude of the National Russians, as well as that of the civil population, must inevitably be affected by the impending British withdrawal and by the fact that after we are gone they will be left to continue the struggle alone.
Thus the task of extricating the British troops while doing the least possible injury to the chances of the Russian National forces is one of great complexity. Further, his Majesty's Government have considered that it is their duty to offer means of refuge to all those Russians who, having compromised themselves by helping us since we landed in North Russia, might now otherwise find themselves exposed to Bolshevist vengeance. Considerable numbers of persons, including women and children, in addition to the British troops, have therefore to be evacuated by sea. Yet all the time the front has to be maintained, largely by Russian troops, against an enemy who is well informed of all that is taking place.
A "DISHONOURABLE" COURSE.
The simple process advocated by a certain class of persons of marching the British troops into their transports and sailing away under cover of the guns of the warships would result in a series of episodes which would be dishonourable to the British name. The military authorities have always insisted that the British troops could not be withdrawn except by certain offensive operations of limited scope in order to disengage the front. Ample strength, freedom of action, cool and firm leading, patient and skilful dispositions are required. There is every reason to believe that they will not be lacking.
To add to the difficulties of such an operation in its most critical phase by inspiriting the enemy, or disheartening the National Russian forces, or by spreading reports calculated to cause despondency and alarm among our own troops, is wrong and unpatriotic. In a military officer, such conduct is a grave offence. In this connexion attention must be drawn particularly to the statements which have been published purporting to emanate from Lieutenant-Colonel Sherwood-Kelly. This officer was on August 16 removed from the command of his battalion at Archangel and sent back to England by General Rawlinson for a serious offence under the Army Act. General Rawlinson has reported that he refrained from trying him by Court-martial only on account of his gallant fighting record. He is now alleged to have committed an offence of a different character against the King's Regulations, in regard to which disciplinary action must take its course.
No statement can be made at the present time in regard to impending military events, and none is needed beyond the perfectly clear and definite assurances already even to Parliament and repeated above. But with regard to the past, it may be worth while to emphasize what has already been stated in the House of Commons. The decision to evacuate Archangel and Murmansk was come to by his Majesty's Government in February last upon the advice of the General Staff as laid before the Cabinet by the Secretary of State for War. Ample notice was given to the Russian authorities of this intention, and they were encouraged and aided to take every possible step by raising and equipping troops to make themselves self-supporting. It was also decided that in the event of these Russian efforts failing, means of refuge should be offered to all who had reason to fear being left behind on shore.
The British General Staff have always foreseen the difficulties and anxieties which would attend the actual process of withdrawal. These difficulties and anxieties would necessarily be doubled and redoubled if the local Russian forces could not in the meanwhile be rendered sufficiently strong and self-reliant to maintain themselves after the British had left.
GENERAL IRONSIDE'S PLAN.
Therefore when in May the advance of Admiral Koltchak's armies from Siberia offered the hope, and even the prospect, that he would be able to effect a junction between his northern most army and the North Russian troops General Ironside was instructed to prepare a plan for facilitating this junction. This plan was approved by the Cabinet. Had it been possible to carry it into effect, the British force could have left North Russia without risk or difficulty and without anxiety as to the fate of the North Russian Government and Army. There would then have been no necessity for the British and French Governments to send the additional reinforcements which are now on the spot.
'That this plan never materialized was certainly not the fault of the British, who stood ready to do their part with adequate forces - viz., to advance along the Dvina to Kotlas, destroying the enemy's flotilla and base there. But Admiral Koltchak's armies, so far from advancing; have retired hundreds of miles eastward, and no hope of effecting a junction with him before the winter remains. The Government were therefore forced to face again the difficult and painful alternative which they had not shrunk from at the beginning of the year but which they later had some hopes might be avoided, at any rate in its most anxious form.
It is not proposed to issue any further statement of policy during the progress of the operations, but at their close and when it is certain that the lives of British soldiers will not be endangered.
Emptsa, North Russia, The Times, 29 September 1919 Topic: BatzO - Emptsa
Emptsa
North Russia, 29 August 1919
The Times, 29 September 1919
The Times, 29 September 1919, p. 7.
The account is transcribed below.
The Times, 29 September 1919, p. 7.
ARCHANGEL EVACUATED.
TROOPS EMBARK WITHOUT LOSS.
ARCHANGEL; Sept. 26.
All our troops have embarked except 200 men of the Highland Light Infantry, who will go on board early tomorrow morning, thus the evacuation of Archangel will be complete. All the other troops embarked yesterday am now anchored in the river awaiting the Highlanders.
Martial law has been proclaimed at Archangel. This, however, is a purely precautionary measure as Archangel is most tranquil, and the presence of many hundreds of pre-war Russian officers from Newmarket has greatly increased the confidence of the population.
With the exception of the 15 casualties to the Dvina force already reported, the evacuation has been a complete success.
The Murman forces will be evacuated later with all possible speed.
The people of Archangel are not showing the slightest hostility, but, on the contrary, are filled with regret at the departure of their protectors.
The Russians have issued a leaflet stating:
"The North Russian Government proposes to engage a certain number of British subjects who have been demobilized from the British Army to serve in North Russia with, the Russian armies, no contract can be entered into with British soldiers now serving in the British Army, but any who are prepared to engage themselves with the North Russian. Government after they are demobilized can give their names here."
Already 100 officers have applied to serve as airmen. Reuter.
RED ADVANCE ON MURMANSK.
The Bolshevist military bulletins of September 26 and 27 announce the starting of an offensive along the line of the Murman railway. An advance on the Northern Dvina, Archangel front, is also chronicled. - Wireless Press.
Emptsa, North Russia, The Times, 1 October 1919 Topic: BatzO - Emptsa
Emptsa
North Russia, 29 August 1919
The Times, 1 October 1919
The Times, 1 October 1919, p. 11.
The account is transcribed below.
The Times, 1 October 1919, p. 11.
V.C. WON IN RUSSIA.
AUSTRALIAN CORPORAL'S HEROISM.
War Office, Sept. 29.
The King has been pleased to approve of the award of the Victoria Cross to the following non-commissioned officer:-
No. 133003 Corporal Arthur Percy Sullivan, 45th. Bn., Royal Fusiliers (Crystal Brook, South Australia).
For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty on August 10, 1919, at the Sheiks, River, North Russia.
The platoon to which he belonged, after fighting a rearguard covering action, had to cross the river by means of a narrow plank, and during the passage an officer and three men fell into a deep swamp.
Without hesitation, under intense fire, Corporal Sullivan jumped into the river and rescued all four, bringing them out singly. But for this gallant action his comrades would undoubtedly have been drowned. It was a splendid example of heroism, as all ranks were on the point of exhaustion and the enemy less than 100 yards distant.
The King has been pleased to approve of the award of the Meritorious Service Modal to the following warrant officer and men for devotion to duty during an epidemic in t .prisoners of war camp, Germany:
MIDDLESEX REGIMENT
6/S.R./6987 Pte. WORSFOLD, F. J.. 1st Bn. (East Finchley).
AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE.
2126 R.S.M. BANNIGAN, J. F. M., 2nd Bde.. Aust. F.A. 1466 Pte. WOOD, R., 2nd Bn., Aust. M.G.C.
(London Gazette Supplement, Sept. 29.)
133003 Corporal Arthur Percy Sullivan, VC.
Arthur Percy Sullivan, a brief military biography from The AIF Project:
Regimental number
56133
Religion
Church of England
Occupation
Bank teller
Address
Crystal Brook, South Australia
Marital status
Single
Age at embarkation
21
Next of kin
Father, A M Sullivan, Crystal Brook, South Australia
Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A74 Marathon on 23 July 1918
Rank from Nominal Roll
Private
Unit from Nominal Roll
Artillery Details
Fate
Discharged 12 June 1919
Medals
Victoria Cross
'For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty on the 10th August, 1919, at the Sheika River, North Russia. The platoon to which he belonged, after fighting a rearguard covering action, had to cross the river by means of a narrow plank, and during the passage an officer and three men fell into a deep swamp. Without hesitation, under intense fire, Corporal Sullivan jumped into the river and rescued all four, bring them out singly. But for this gallant action his comrades would have, undoubtedly, been drowned. It was a splendid example of heroism, as all ranks were on the point of exhaustion, and the enemy less than 100 yards distant.' Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 10 Date: 29 January 1920
Other details
War service: England, North Russia
Medals: Victoria Cross, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Emptsa, North Russia, The Times, 24 October 1919 Topic: BatzO - Emptsa
Emptsa
North Russia, 29 August 1919
The Times, 24 October 1919
The Times, 24 October 1919, p. 9.
The account is transcribed below.
The Times, 24 October 1919, p. 9.
A NORTH RUSSIA V.C.
SINGLE-HANDED ATTACK ON A BLOCKHOUSE.
War Office, Oct: 23, 1919.
The King has beep pleased to :approve of the award of the Victoria Cross to the following non-commissioned officer:
The late 133002 Sergeant Samuel George Pearce, M.M., 45th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (Mildura, Australia).
For most conspicuous bravery, devotion to duty, and self-sacrifice during the operation against the enemy battery position north of Emptsa (North Russia) on August 29, 1919.
Sergeant Pearse cut his way through the enemy barbed wire under very heavy machine-gun and rifle fire and cleared a way for the troops to enter the battery position.
Seeing that a blockhouse was harassing our advance and causing us casualties, he charged the blockhouse single-handed; killing the occupants with bombs.
This gallant non-commissioned officer met his death a minute later, and it was due to him that the position was carried with so few casualties. His magnificent bravery and utter disregard for personal danger won for him the admiration of all troops.
(London Gazette Supplement, Oct. 23.)
133002 Sergeant Samuel George Pearce, M.M.,V.C..
Samuel George Pearce, a brief military biography from The AIF Project:
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