CAPTURE OF BRYANSK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 September 1943, Page 3

CAPTURE OF BRYANSK

ANNOUNCED BY RUSSIANS MORE PROGRESS IN UKRAINE. AND ALONG COAST OF SEA OF AZOV. LONDON, September 17. Russian troops have scored another success. They have made another crossing of the „ Desna River and have captured Bryansk. The Russians liave'also made progress in the Ukraine • and on the Sea of Azov coast, where they have captured another port. DEATH OR CAPTURE PROSPECT FACING ENEMY TROOPS. OCCUPYING TAMAN PENINSULA. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.45 a.m.) RUGBY, September 17. Moscow despatches report a retreat of the German Novorossisk garrison north-westwards, towards Anapa, and suggest death or capture as the likeliest alternatives for the Germans and Rumanians on the Taman Peninsula (the Kuban area facing the Crimea across the Kerch Strait). OF GREAT STRENGTH DEFENCES OF NOVOROSSISK. ENEMY MAY BE TRAPPED IN KUBAN. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.55. a.m.) RUGBY, September 17. The fall of Novorossisk has exposed the Black Sea coast to new landings by Soviet marines whereby the Kuban bridgehead may be converted into a trap. After the Soviet’s winter offensive and the spring thaw reprieve, the Germans converted their Kuban foothold into one of the most strongly fortified zones on the Eastern front. It was trebly valuable, for keeping the Soviet fleet out of the Sea of Azov, for preventing Soviet landings on the Crimea and for serving as the possible launching point' of a new offensive against the Caucasus. Novorossisk, as the core of the Kuban phalanx, was fortified with multiple belts of .concrete defences. The Germans blocked the entry to Novorossisk port with mines and sunken obstacles to prevent a large-scale Soviet assault from the sea.