Contextualising a certain short film

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/archive/first-world-war/article4538855.ece 

Fall of Osowiec reported The German main headquarters state that, aIthough no definite figures of the booty taken at the fall of Kovno are yet to hand, the number of prisoners is more than 20,000. More than 600 cannon were captured, many of which are modern heavy ones
Another Russian fortress is reported to have fallen into the hands of the Germans. The announcement is made from Berlin that Osowiec, has been occupied by the troops under General von Eichhorn after it had been evacuated by the Russians. There is as yet no confirmation of the event from Petrograd. Osowiec, though it ranked only as a minor fortress has, on three occasions at least, played a distinguished part in checking previous German invasions of Poland. Situated on the Bobr, with Augustowo to the north and Bielsk to the south, it defended the only good passage across the swampy valley of marshes through which the river flows.

THE GERMAN CLAIM.
Berlin, Aug 23. German official report: Marshal von Hindenburg’s Army. The troops under General von Eichhorn are further advancing east and south of Kovno. On the Bobr we occupied the fortress of Osowiec, which was evacuated by the Russians. North and south of Tykocin successful fighting took place. We captured Tykecin, taking 1,200 prisoners, among them 11 officers. Seven machine-guns also fell into our hands.
[The Wireless Press version of the communique gives the number of machine-guns captured as 77. It adds that “desperate Russian counter-attacks east of Bielsk failed, with very considerable losses to the enemy. We advanced south of this town.”]
ARMY GROUP OF MARSHAL VON MACKENSEN. The enemy put up a tenacious resistance between Razna and the Bug. An attack across the Bug above the Pulwa sector is progressing. Before Brest Litowsk the situation is unchanged. On both sides of the Lakes of Switjas and near Piszcza, east of Wlodawa, the enemy was defeated yesterday and driven north-eastwards. Reuter.
The Wireless Press reports the following from Berlin in addition to the above: The Army of Prince Leopold of Bavaria. Accompanied by stubborn fighting this Army group has crossed the Kleszczele-Razna line and is engaged in further favourable attacks. Three thousand and fifty prisoners were taken and 16 machine guns captured.
[Yesterday’s German official report stated that Prince Leopold’s Army group crossed the Kleszczele-Wysoko Litowsk railway on Saturday and captured over 3,000 prisoners and a number of machine guns.]

100 Years Ago

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/register/surprise-tactics-at-grandcourt-gj5hzkjsj

FEBRUARY 10, 1917

Surprise tactics at Grandcourt

Grandcourt is a straggling village of one street, running along the south bank of the Ancre. It has been badly knocked about, though, unlike Pozieres, you can still see it was once a pleasant place. None of its buildings has any roofs, but the walls still stand to some extent.


A German trench system defended it on the west side, along the Grandcourt-Thiepval road. We discovered that the front trench was unoccupied the day before yesterday and took it. Yesterday morning our patrols got out to explore towards the village, found things were much easier than used to be expected from the Boche, and signalled for troops. These felt their way amid the ruins of houses, farms, barns, and orchards, and with very little fighting got out of the village on the east side. There was some machine-gun work, but only enough to give it a name. Some prisoners were sent back, and our men established themselves along a line running south from Grandcourt on the east side.


An operation stealthily made from another direction had brought us further north, meeting our success through the village from the westward. Our lines were adjusted from two directions to put the village wholly and securely within our territory. Where the Germans’ new line may be this side of Miraumont can be only surmised from the fact that erratic convolutions of the Ancre, a deep ravine, and a steep hill protect that larger and practically intact village from the south.


With the occupation of Grandcourt another move was possible on the north bank of the river. Beyond the trenches we won there last Saturday midnight and opposite the east end of Grandcourt is Baillescourt Farm, an ancient and strongly-built quadrangle of home and barns, well fortified by the Germans. That also has fallen. Its garrison of Hamburgers (85th Regiment of Infantry) made some sharp opposition which did not last, and 80 men and one officer were made prisoners. Naturally we had some good guessing as to the German withdrawal from the position I have described, and, acting on well-grounded assumption, our batteries did not give the enemy an easy job. The Germans were heavily punished, though they did not stay.