CAPTURES IN CRIMEA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 November 1943, Page 4

CAPTURES IN CRIMEA

Moscow despatches confirm that Russian forces which landed north-east and south of Kerch are firmly established and are striking deep into the Germans’ Crimean defences. The northern landing force is reported to have dislodged the Germans from an extensive section of coastal fortifications, to have captured a number of long-range guns and to have occupied several fortresses and strongpoints. Geoman sources, which previously reported that Russian bridgeheads in the Kerch area had been contained and reduced and reinforcement attempts frustrated, now admit that heavy-fighting is in progress on heights alongithe coast. Tonight’s Russian communique states that.the Russians have considerably improved their bridgeheads on the Kerch Peninsula.

Reports of fighting before the Niko-pol-Apostolovo railway say the Germans, in counter-attacks, made small gains, from which they were forced back, suffering heavy casualties.

The British United Press Moscow correspondent, describing the final assault against Kiev, says the Russians, on the heights around the city, watched the city burn with tears in their eyes. Below them, sheets of flame rose from all parts of Kiev, which seemed engulfed in a great sea of fire. Thudding explosions could be heard every few minutes, followed by spurts of flame shooting high over the rest of the fires, showing where German demolition commandos were at their work of destruction. The first Russian armoured forces swept through the blazing city just before dawn. They plunged into one side of the city and raced out on the other on the heels of the fleeing Germans. The Red Air Force hammered the retreating columns, which were given no opportunity to break off the battle with the determined Russians. RELENTLESS PURSUIT Front line despatches say the German retreat west of Kiev is becoming a rout. The Red Army column piercing the Western Ukraine is now astride the communications between Marshal von Mannstein’s divisions from Kiev and the Dnieper bend. “The loss pf Kiev pales into significance beside the catastrophe threatening the whole of the German armies in the south,” says the German-controlled Scandinavian Telegraph Bureau, in a message released in Stockholm. “The Russians are reported to have brought up seven fresh infantry divisions and a tank corps, and it is impossible ..to predict whether the Germans will be able to hold this new avalanche. Other Russians who bypassed Kiev have made the position of the Germans west of the city critical. This is one of the

war's bloodiest weekends. The evacuation of Kiev was intended to safeguard the Germans in that sector, but new Russian attacks have made their position more dangerous than ever,” adds the enemy-controlled bureau.