COMPLETE SURPRISE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 November 1943, Page 3

COMPLETE SURPRISE

SPRUNG ON GERMANS IN WHITE RUSSIA SUDDEN & PARALYSING BLOW VITAL PART OF FRONT CRUMBLING (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.0 a.m.) LONDON, November 26. The whole of the enemy’s White Russian front is threatened tonight, with the southern half of it already crumbling under the blows of the latest Russian offensive from Propoisk. Moscow despatches say Red Army troops which cut the Mogi- ' lev-Gomel Highway are now within striking distance of the important town of Rogachev. The Soviet wedge driven into the German lines in the direction of Bobruisk is now 27 miles deep, says the Moscow radio. The enemy is in full retreat and fast Soviet motorised formations are in hot pursuit. The Russians hold the west bank of the Beresina River for about 20 miles f o rom its junction with the Dnieper. The Red Army, further south-west, is now 20 miles from Mosir. The Red Army commander who successfully struck at the enemy’s GomelMogilev lines, relied on complete surprise, says a British United Press correspondent. The Germans for two years had lived in this sector undisturbed by the Red Army activity. German magazines featured pictures of their dugouts, showing how easy life was in this sector of the Russian front. With the enemy lulled into a sense of false security, the Russians struck with

paralysing suddenness. Many of the Germans were surrounded so quickly that they surrendered within a few hours.