VIOLENT FIGHTING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 November 1943, Page 3

VIOLENT FIGHTING

IN PROGRESS ALONG WHOLE FRONT FIERCEST IN CRITICAL AREAS OF UKRAINE AND WHITE RUSSIA (By Telegraph—(Press Association—Copyright) (Aeceived This Day, 10.20 a.m.) LONDON, November 19. Violent fighting is going on along the whole front from the Zaporozhe area to Nevel, but it is fiercest at Gomel, where the German garrison has been encircled, at Korosten, from which the Russians are pushing on westwards, and in the Jitomir area, where German counter-attacks were beaten back. General Rokossovsky’s subtle outflanking tactics brought about the fall of Rechitza and the encirclement of Gomel after the Germans’ stiffened resistance had forced a stalemate on the Rechitza and Gomel fronts. The British United Press Moscow correspondent says the Russians several weeks ago forced their way into the suburbs of Gomel, since when the Germans had brought the advance to a standstill. General Rokossovsky decided to avoid a frontal assault and instead to outflank both Rechitza and Gomel westwards, by a movement from the south. The Germans who escaped from the Rechitza debacle crossed the Dnieper, but a majority are trapped in the Gomel area, which has only one unblocked exit. Russian artillery has opened a terrific bombardment of this last road and railway whereby the Germans can escape.

A Reuter correspondent reports that Russian tank spearheads advancing north-west from Rechitza have reached a point six miles from the confluence of the Dnieper with the Beresina, From here another advance of about 25 miles, to Jlobin, will complete the interruption of all Gomel’s rail com-

munications. A battle for the Mosir Marshes has begun and Russian cavalry, pushing from Vasilye Vichi, along the Gomel-Mosir railway, are now 15 miles of Mosir. Another Russian column is advancing towards Mosir from the south-east, along the west bank of the Pripet River.