WORKED OUT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 December 1943, Page 3

WORKED OUT

MANNSTEIN’S OFFENSIVE WEST OF KIEV IN OPINION OF LONDON OBSERVERS WEATHER AND THE WINTER CAMPAIGN (British Official Wireless.) LONDON, December 18. Military observers in London consider that Field Marshal von Mannstein's counter-offensive west of Kiev has worked itself out, and that further serious progres in that area need not be feared. While the Smyela and Kirovograd areas continue to hold great interest, it is thought that the fighting of greatest intensity is now in progress far to the north on the Velikiye Luki and Nevel sector. Here the Russians seem to be attacking and making slow, steadj r progress. Regarding the expectations of a great Russian winter offensive, it is pointed out that the time is scarcely rijSe for this while the frost alternates with thaw, particularly in the more southerly areas. A gradual settlement in the weather, however, is shown by increased air activity. The first ice is floating down the Dnieper, states a message to the “Pravda” from Konsomolskaya, and the river is expected to freeze over by the end of December. The Red Army will still have to rely on bridges for the heaviest traffic, as the Dnieper ice attains a maximum' thickness of only about 20 inches, which is insufficient to support large tanks and mobile guns.

Hundreds of lorries loaded with Dnieper sand were out yesterday sprinkling roads on the Red Army front, which are now glazed with ice.

DOOM OF GERMANY PERCEIVED BY NINTH ARMY COMMANDER. REPORTED SURRENDER TO SOVIET TROOPS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received. This Day, 10.10 a.m.> RUGBY, December 19. The commander of the Ninth German Army, together with 20 men, surrendered to Soviet troops. The commander said: “I was transferred from France in 1943. I always listened to the London and Moscow radios. The news about the Teheran Conference astounded me. I was especially impressed by the fact that Germany will be attacked from the east, south and west. The main German forces are now on the Eastern front. Under Soviet blows, Germany is suffering enormous losses. The Russian offensive has weakened Germany and undermined her army. I wonder what will happen when the enormous, untouched reserves of English and American forces are sent against Germany. There is no doiAt the German army will then perGh. I don’t see the need of sacrificing myself and my men for a lost cause. I therefore give myself up to the Soviet troops.” MANY GERMAN TRAINS BLOWN UP BY RUSSIAN GUERILLAS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.0 a.m.) RUGBY, December 19. Soviet guerilla detachments operating in the Minsk region have blown up fifteen east-bound German military trains, states a supplement to the Soviet communique. Thirteen engines and over 70 carriages were destroyed and the line was blocked for three days.

Another detachment derailed 13 (rains and killed or wounded over 100 German soldiers.