COMPLETE SURPRISE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 October 1943, Page 4

COMPLETE SURPRISE

SPRUNG ON THE GERMANS IN SOVIET ATTACK ON NEVEL GRUDGING ADMISSION MADE BY BERLIN. DNIEPER BRIDGEHEADS ENLARGED. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.25 p.m.) LONDON, October 7. Messages from Moscow correspondents today, referring to the capture of Nevel, say the Russians have taken the Germans completely by surprise in a sector which, throughout the summer, has remained quiet—namely, the area south-west of Velikiye-Luki. The Berlin radio stated that a new Russian offensive was launched early yesterday morning, and added: “The Russians used strong tank, infantry and air formations, their objective being Nevel. Extremely fierce and fluctuating fighting developed, in great depth, owing to the character of the terrain. The Russians, despite heavy losses, repeatedly threw in formations. A strong tank group, accompanied by infantry, broke into the German lines north of Nevel. A struggle with these forces continued throughout the night.” A Soviet communique, besides reporting the capture of Nevel and the enemy bridgehead on the Taman Peninsula (in the Kuban area) gives the location of Russian bridgeheads established west of the Dnieper as north of Kiev, south of Pereyaslavl, and southeast of Kremenchug. The communique adds: “The Germans launched fierce counter-attacks against our troops who crossed the Dnieper, but these are being repulsed with heavy losses to the enemy. Our troops step by step are enlarging their bridgeheads.” Another Russian communique says Soviet troops broke through a strongly defended line on a 15-mile front to a depth of 15 miles in their attack on Nevel. There were two days of hard fighting before they captured the town and railway station. The communique also says that the Russians on the Volkhov front broke through the enemy defences, advanced nine miles and cap-’ tured a considerable number of places, including an important town and railway station.