DEEP THRUST

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 January 1943, Page 3

DEEP THRUST

ON THE VORONEZH FRONT ENEMY LINE OF RETREAT CUT. BATTLES IN LENINGRAD AREA. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, January 20. General Golikov’s forces on the Voronezh front are pushing on their twopronged drive north-west toward Kursk and south-west toward Kharkov, says Reuter’s Moscow The correspondent adds that the “Reel Star” reported tonight that the Russians, after piercing the German defences in an unnamed sector of the Voronezh front, have penetrated deeply to their rear, and cut the road on the enemy’s line of retreat. Heavy losses were inflicted on an Axis column and more than 1000 prisoners were taken, besides many guns and lorries. After the capture of Valuiki and Urasova on Tuesday many more towns and villages have been retaken both in this drive and the one against Kursk. The latest reports state that the Axis forces are in a critical position in m ( any sectors. A big enemy garrison was trapped at Ostrogozhsk, whose capture is now announced. The Russian forces farther to the south which swept across the Donetz and took Kamensk are now pressing on toward Likhnaya, which is a rail junction 60 miles from Rostov. The Red Army has now crossed the Donetz over a stretch of 30 to 40 miles. In the northern Caucasus the Soviet forces closing in on Stavropol have captured two points each about 21 miles from this important collective farming centre. Reports from Moscow indicate that a furious battle is progressing in the Leningrad area today as the Germans strive desperately to prevent the Russians from widening the nine-mile corridor linking General Govorov s forces with those of General Meretskov in the. Volkhov area. The British United Press correspondent in Moscow says that the Gemans resistance has stiffened, but that the Russians have smashed another strongpoint and seized booty. . An even more furious battle is developing in the swampy forests south of Lake Ladoga, where the Red Army has advanced southward after mopping up the whole south bank of die lake and the left bank of the Neva. The roar of gun-fire echoes unceasingly through the forests while heavy tanks rumble across half-frozen marsh-

GS. Stormoviks played a vital part in support of the ground forces m the battle for the crossing of the Neva. ' Grazing the tree-tops and telegrap poles, they pounded the German positions during General Govorov s break. through, while ski troops raced across the frozen Lake* Ladoga and, stealing through forests, took the enemy by SU One S< of the bloodiest battles of the Leningrad break through occurred in a workers’ settlement at Smyavino, which crack German troops were defending. It changed hands seyera times and was finally taken aftei Germans had lost more than 10,000 in killed and wounded.