GRIP CLOSING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 August 1943, Page 4

GRIP CLOSING

ON GERMAN STRONGHOLD OF OREL RELENTLESS RED ARMY THRUSTS. ENEMY ON LAST LINE NORTH OF CITY. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.5 p.m.) LONDON, August 2. Striking new and large-scale blows simultaneously north and couth of Orel, General Rokossovsky has brought his main forces on both sides of the beleaguered city ten miles nearer to their target. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says General Rokossovsky north of Orel has penetrated the second German defence lines south of Bolkhov and opened up ihe way for. a rapid advance ; gainst what must be the last German defence line outside Orel itself. The Russian advance from the north has meantime enormously increased ththreat to the Orel-Bryansk railway line. The Russians, by capturing over 100 localities, have made their most substantial advance for a week north and south of Oret Driving down from Bolkhov, the Russian troops have captured Kutma, 21 miles from Orel, thereby clearing up a big area which has been stubbornly disputed by the Germans. The enemy is now being rolled back over a 15 mile front, unable to make another real stand anywhere at a greater distance from Orel than 12 to 15 miles.

The Red Army has also captured Masdovo, 15 miles north-west of Orel. Three Russian armies, to the east, south and north-east respectively, stand 10 miles from Orel. The left flank of the south army, fanning out to its most westerly point, captured Ploskoyo, 22 miles south-west of the German stronghold of Kromy, which is in imminent danger of being outflanked.

FEROCIOUS FIGHTING IN SOUTH. Ferocious battles are going on along the Mius River (which runs into the Sea of Azov near Taganrog), where the Germans are persistently attacking the Russians’ bridgehead on that river, south-west of Voroshilovgrad. One township in particular is being fiercely contested. It has already changed hands twice, the Russians at present holding it. Reuter says a new Russian mobile gun played an outstanding part in the new Russian break through north of Orel. The gun follows tanks in, to attack at 300 yards and once the enemy's gunfire has been drawn has been able to put out of action enemy batteries and clear the way for the Red Army’s tanks. The gun is so mobile and fast that in one action it was on top of the German gun sites before the German crews were able to escape.

“The Times” Stockholm correspondent says some reports suggest that the Germans are removing further quantities of basic material from the Orel citadel, which although still one of the cornerstones of their defence system in Russia has ceased to be the base it was, having been replaced by Bryansk, 75 miles further west, but there are no signs yet that an Orel evacuation is beginning. The Moscow’ newspaper “Pravda” states that three-quarters of Germany’s front line divisions in Russia are diluted with Austrians, Czechs, Poles, citizens of Lorraine and other non-Ger-mans. Owing to the great number of picked German soldiers aged 20 to 30 who have been killed in Russia, the Germans are filling the gaps with youths aged 17 to 20 and men from 34 upwards who have been wounded and who have left hospital have also areturned to the ranks.