Tremendous German losses in Ukraine

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 65, 20 March 1944, Page 5

Tremendous German losses in Ukraine

Army Reported on Verge of Catastrophe United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright. Received Sunday, 7 p.m. LONDON, March 18Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says it is estimated that the Germans in the last fortnight lost more than 100,000 killed, 100,000 wounded and between 20,000 and 30,000 taken prisoner. Mannstein has also lost more than 1000 tanks and self-propelled guns, 20,000 lorries and cars, and huge stores of ammunition and food. Thirty six German divisions are in perilous positions between the Bug and Odessa and another 20 to 25 divisions are caged up in the Crimea. The Russians, within a fortnight, smashed through five major German defence lines above Tarnopol, on the Ingul River above Uman, and on the middle Bug. Pravda says the German army is on the verge of a catastrophe, A special Soviet communique, describing the defeat of the Sixth German Army east of Nikolaiev by the Third Ukrainian Army Group of General Malinovsky between March 6 and 17, states that 36,800 Germans were killed and 13,859 taken prisoner. Only a few of the staffs and soldiers succeeded in escaping. General Vasilevsky is mentioned as instrumental in winning this remarkable victory. This officer has not hitherto been mentioned in connection with the latest series of offensives. The Sixth German Army was commanded by Colonel-General Honig. It suffered most of its losses in the last three days while attempting to break out west, not in large groups but in small numbers and even individually, fwo alpine, one tank and seven infantry divisions were routed and liquidated. Heavy losses were inflicted on eight infantry, one motorised and two tank divisions which completely lost their ighting ability. Heavy losses were inflicted on four infantry divisions which still have limited fighting ability. Many other divisions lost all arms and equipment. The Russians captured 111 tanks, 74 self-propelled guns, 678 field guns, 1600 machineguns and 9100 lorries. The German Sixth Army lost altogether 50,659 men 4510 lorries, 1218 guns, 1000 mortars, 3100 machineguns, 275 tanks. 192 self-propelled guns, 2030 armoured troop-carriers and 16,000 lorries.