GERMAN EFFORT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 December 1943, Page 4

GERMAN EFFORT

TO PROFIT BY WEATHER IN RUSSIA SOVIET FORCES HANDICAPPED AT PRESENT. BY PROLONGED RAINS & MUD. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.15 p.m.) LONDON, December 6. The Germans are trying thefr utmost to take advantage of the unfavourable weather of late winter to halt Soviet thrusts. The Rus- . sians, however, are pressing forward over slough-like roads. The British United Press Moscow correspondent points out that the persistence of autumn rains is negativing the Red Army’s cold weather equipment and tactics, enabling the Germans to make efforts to recapture the initiative and restore their Dnieper winter line before the Ruessians* are able again to bring full pressure to bear. The Germans in White Russia and the Southern Ukraine are regrouping and pouring in reinforcements. The enemy’s abortive attempt to re-estab-lish his positions in the Dnieper Delta apparently is part of this-effort to recapture the initiative. The weather in White Russia and the Southern Ukraine is still bogging down armoured forces and grounding the Red Air . Force, and, unless the weather takes an unexpected turn, no spectacular progress in the near future can be expected, from the Red Army. Results are expected soon from the White Russian front, but even there, until the marshes and rivers freeze the Russians will be unable to exert their maximum striking power and utilise /fully their special winter equipment. Enemy sources emphasise that the latest Russian efforts have been concentrated on the Dnieper bend. The German news agency’s commentator, Von Hammer, admits a “deep Red Army penetration of . the Dnieper bend.” Later Von Hammer stated that German troops inside the bend had disengaged in face of new Russian attacks and withdrawn to their main defence line.

IMPORTANT RAILWAY CUT BY THE RUSSIANS SNAMENKA THREATENED IN REAR LONDON, December 6. The Russians have cut the rail- , way between Snamenka and Smela and are reported to be 15 miles from Snamenka. The German garrison faces encirclement from the rear. Another Russian column has smashed through the enemy defences further to the east and has crossed a river a few miles from Snamenka. A Berlin military spokesman speaks of strong Russian infantry and tank forces operating towards Snamenka and also in the area of Krivoi Rog. He refers to the fighting as hard and fluctuating, a term that is used by the German's when the battle is not going well. It looks as if the Germans . have resumed their counter-offensive against the Russians west of Kiev. Heavy infantry and tank forces counter-attack-ed in this area, but all attacks appear to be held by the Russians.