STEADY PROGRESS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 December 1943, Page 3

STEADY PROGRESS

MADE BY THE RED ARMY

Against Hinge of Northern Fronts

SOVIET SPEARHEADS WITHIN IS MILES OF VITEBSK

EVENTS OF INITIAL BREAK THROUGH MADE KNOWN

LONDON, December 22. The Russian attack on the hinge of the Baltic and White Russian fronts is pressing the Germans steadily backwards towards Vitebsk. Russian spearheads were last reported to be within 15 miles of Vitebsk at some points. Mr Paul Winterton, the Moscow representative of the London “News-,Chronicle,” says an. armoured cavalry division played an important part in the Russian break through last week. A plateau of high ground runs almost all the way from Nevel to Vitebsk. The Russians held the northern part, but the Germans were strongly entrenched along the rest of it, with a fine road and railway running close together. The Russian problem was to break down the crust of enemy resistance and open up the way to Vitebsk, without spending too much time or making undue sacrifices in tackling the defences. . The cavalry were sent well to the west of the plateau and then to the east in a wide sweep, so that they were in a position to engage the enemy on the flank. The cavalry fought their way into the German positions in four days and nights of conflict without a rest. At last only one height remained between them and the railway. This height changed hands five times before the Russians finally captured it and cut the railway.