NAZI RETREAT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 March 1943, Page 4

NAZI RETREAT

WITHDRAWAL FROM RZHEV MIX-UP IN BROADCASTS FROM BERLIN. MORE DEFENSIVE POSITIONS NOW MENACED. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) (Received This Day. 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, March 3. The German High Command has announced the evacuation of Rzhev. A communique states: “We have evacuated Rzhev in the course of methodical movements for the shortening of our front line. Rearguards, which alone held the city for days, disengaged themselves last night, unobserved, by the enemy, after blowing up the Volga bridges.” A peculiar mix-up occurred over the German announcements that Rzhev had been evacuated. The Berlin radio first announced the evacuation. Then, .ten minutes later, it announced, without explanation, that the story was withdrawn. Shortly afterwards the German High Command communique was issued. The British United Press points out that, when driven back from the environs of Moscow, the Germans retreated to a line running from Rzhev to Bryansk and Orel and, in all subsequent fighting, held on to the positions along that line. This is the first major change in the situation for more than fifteen months. Rzhev was built into one of the greatest' hedgehogs on the whole front. Even when the Russians thrust through towards Velikiye Luki, completely outflanking Rzhev, the Germans clung to. their positions there, although the area around Rzhev must have been more than half encircled. The Rzhev-Viazma-Bryansk line, in addition to threatening Moscow, also defends a vital rail junction and the fortified area of Smolensk. The evacuation may be a prelude to the Germans shortening their line to positions east of Smolensk, but in any case Viazma is now threatened from three sides. SOVIET REPORT RZHEV TAKEN AFTER FIERCE FIGHTING. (Received This Day, Noon.) LONDON, March 3. Simultaneously with the Russian -announcement of the capture of 'Rzhev and Lgov, comes a report that the'Germans are now preparing to evacuate Orel. A special Moscow communique says Rzhev was taken after fierce fighting, in which 2,000 Germans were killed. OREL NEXT INDICATIONS OF COMING -EVACUATION. UNDER INCREASING SOVIET PRESSURE. (Received This Day, 12.35 p.m.) LONDON, March 3. A dispatch tonight from Reuter’s correspondent in Stockholm says German preparations to 'evacuate Orel follow on the Russian occupation of Khotetovo this morning. “The Times” Stockholm correspondent says the Orel battle was raging as fiercely as ever yesterday, when the Russians penetrated the German main positions in several places from the -north. The Germans have begun talking about a great Russian numerical superiority in this sector, which sometimes indicates the preparation of German minds for an eventual evacuation. They also emphasise the hardships of the German soldiers, who are often obliged to stand hip-high in water, as the thaw now”; embraces the Orel sector. The Nazis stress, too, the weight of Russian armour engaged both north and south of Orel, and mention the presence of British tanks. The Russians have been bombarding the Gjatsk area (south of Rzhev), and presumably Gjatsk has been evacuated or will be shortly. Viazma may still be held, being somewhat less vulnerable at present. A German news agency commentator, Captain Sertorius, broadcasting, referred to a new Russian thrust apparently aimed.at taking Orel from the rear, and added that “it might be.,assumed that counter-measures would be taken.” According to the Berlin radio, not only has Rzhev been evacuated, but. the salient around the town. There is no indication of whether this means that the Germans have withdrawn from the entire bulge south of Rzhev, including Gjatsk and Viazma. “The Times” Stockholm correspondent says the battle of the Lovat River, below Lake Ilmen, is not finished, though Marshal Timoshenko, in captur'ing Demyansk, has reached his initial objective. The Russian advance west of Kursk and Kharkov, though slower, continues. The Russians are silent about the German counter-offensive in the Loso-vaya-Slavyansk area, towards the Donetz, and it is impossible to say whether the Germans have progressed, but even if they re-establish a footing on the Donetz they can only claim to have averted the closing of. a bottleneck and a disaster on the Don and Donetz. The Rusians report continued advances on the Kuban front, and a continuance of fighting west gf Rostov The enemy in all sectors is resisting stiffly, and his counter-attacks are increasingly persistent. MUCH BOOTY CAPTURED IN RZHEV. OTHER RUSSIAN GAINS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 1.25 p.m.) RUGBY, March 3. “A'few days ago Soviet troops launched a decisive assault against the town of Rzhev,” says the first of two special Soviet communiques issued tonight. “Today, after a long and stubborn fight, our troops occupied Rzhev, the booty captured, including 112 tanks, 78 guns of various calibres, 35 railway engines, 1,200 wagons and a great quantity of rifles, machine-guns and ammunition. The enemy left over 2,000 dead.” The second special communique states: “After stubborn fighting, our troops occupied the town and railway junction of Lgov, capturing a large quantity of railway equipment, shells and ammunition. After decisive attack, Soviet troops occupied the towns

of Dmitriev-Lgovisky. A large amount of booty is still being sorted.” Lgov, 140 miles westward of Kursk, is a junction of railways from Kharkov to Briansk and from Kursk to Kiev. Dmitriev-Lgovisky is some 30 miles north-north-west of Lgov, on the railway to Briansk.