d and
other German troops under General von Francois fell upon the Russians
and forced them to retire toward the Olpiny-Biecz line. The ground
of the Russian positions on Mount Viatrovka and Mount Pustki in
front of Biecz had been "prepared" by 21-centimeter (7-inch) Krupp
howitzers and the giant Austrian 30.5-centimeter (10-inch) howitzers
from the Skoda-Werke at Pilsen. The shells of the latter weigh
nearly half a ton, and their impact is so terrific that they throw
the earth up 100 feet high. Whatever had remained of the town of
Gorlice in the shape of buildings or human beings was meanwhile
being wiped out by a merciless spray of shells. Being the center
or an important oil district, Gorlice possessed oil wells, great
refineries, and a sulphuric-acid factory. As the flames spread from
building to building, streets pouring with burning oil, huge columns
of fire stretching heavenward from the oil wells in full blaze,
and, over all, the pitiless hail of iron and explosives pouring
upon them, the horror of the situation in which the soldiers and
civilians found themselves may be faintly imagined. Gorlice was an
inferno in a few hours. When the German infantry dashed into the
town they found the Russians still in possession. Fighting hand
to hand, contesting every step, the Russians were slowly driven
out.

We have mentioned that German troops were moving on Senkova, southeast
of Gorlice, by night. During the last two days of April the Bavarians
captured the Russian position in the Senkova valley. A further
move was made here during the night of May 1-2, 1915, preparatory
to dislodging the Russians from the ground they still held. At
seven o'clock in the morning the big howitzers started to "prepare"
that ground. By ten o'clock it was deemed that every living thing
had perished, when the "fire curtain" was drawn behind the Russian
position. Infantry were then thrown forward--some Bavarian regiments.
To their intense astonishment they were received with a most murderous
fire from Russian rifles, and machine guns. The first attack failed
and many were killed, few getting beyond the wire entanglements.
Cautiously other troops advanced to the battered Russian trenches
cut off from the rear by the artillery screen behind. Yet here
again they met with strenuous resistance in the Zamczysko group of
hills. The Austrian artillery shelled the heights, and the Bavarians
finally took possession. The Tenth Austrian Army Corps had m