ANOTHER GREAT BLOW

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 September 1943, Page 3

ANOTHER GREAT BLOW

STRUCK BY THE RUSSIANS WIDE & DEEP BREAK THROUGH DEFENCES COVERING SMOLENSK. GUNS OF MOSCOW AGAIN CELEBRATE. LONDON, August 31. Another great German base on the Eastern front, Smolensk, is threatened by the Russians, who have broken through a strong German line on a 30 mile front and penetrated 19 miles in places. In four days’ fighting the Russians have occupied more than 100 towns and villages, including an important strongpoint in the outer defence of the city, 50 miles south-east of Smolensk. This news was given in a special order by Marshal Stalin and for the second night, z Moscow celebrated by the firing of salvoes. THRUST TOWARDS BRYANSK. On the Bryansk front, another Russian offensive is developing rapidly. Yesterday two more big centres were captured. More than 200 places have been liberated. TAGANROG VICTORY SIXTY THOUSAND GERMANS KILLED. SOVIET FORCES DRIVING ON MARIUPOL. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, August 31. With Taganrog now in the hands of the Red Army advance forces of cavalry with Stormoviks roaring overhead are pressing far to the west and north-west in a victorious drive, while bands of Germans fleeing from the city are being rounded up. The Russians are less than 40 miles from Mariupol. Heavy battles are continuing along the Ukraine fronts, and Moscow reports that new advances were made yester'day. The German news agency says today that the Red Army has broken the German lines at several points west of Kharkov, but that battles for the gaps are still raging. A Moscow correspondent says that the battle in the south of the Donetz Basin, which resulted in the fall of Taganrog, lasted for six days and cost the Germans 60,000 dead. Before the oity fell the Russians broke through more than 20 miles north of Taganrog, and through the breach Cossacks and tanks swept down to the coast in a brilliant outflanking movement, reaching the Sea of Azov 30 miles behind Taganrog, and so cutting off the German garrison. Now the Russians have smashed through the powerful Mius River defences on a 40-mile front above Taganrog, and are threatening the big centre of Stalino, in the heart of the industrial Donetz Basin.

A communique last night said that the Russians occupied more than 150 towns and villages yesterday and cleared the whole of the Rostov front.