When Eighth Army's command detected a gap in the Russian lines, they ordered 41st Infantry Division to attack between the Russian I and XV Corps. In contrast to their sister division, discipline broke down and tactical doctrine went out the window. The Germans rushed forward with far more enthusiasm then sense, and with their officers leading the forward stampede they veered away from the open Russian flank to strike the invaders head-on.

The 41st Division's infantry battalions took massive casualties, particularly among their officers. Prompt intervention by the division's artillery, moving into the front lines and firing over open sights, helped stabilize things. The 150th Infantry Regiment formed its machine-gun platoons into a unified fire group and shattered a Russian counterattack. Despite the serious German losses, the Russian division came out even worse and had been broken by day's end.