POWERFUL DRIVE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 December 1943, Page 3

POWERFUL DRIVE

TOWARDS POLISH BORDER DEVELOPED BY GENERAL VATUTIN RED ARMY TAKING OBSTACLES IN ITS STRIDE (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.50 a.m.) ■ RUGBY, December 29. General Vatutin’s second offensive has developed into an irresistible drive towards the Polish border, states a Moscow message. The German gains of forty days and nights have been practically wiped off the map, together with divisions Hitler assembled from all parts of Europe. Among the obstacles taken in the Red Army's stride on Tuesday was a sandy mount, 800 feet high, fortified on the special instructions of the Fuehrer. The Russians also broke down defences which the Germans had been building for over a month on the rivers Dubovik, Vtlenka and Teterev. Other Moscow messages say the battle for the White Russian stronghold of Vitebsk is intensifying, with the Russians bringing a great weight against the deep zone of German defences which cover the town. Thus in both places the Russians have a full initiative and German losses arc said to be reaching record proportions. It is hinted that increased danger to the Germans in the Lower Dnieper pocket may well become apparent very soon.

The Russians’ first advance on Jitomir, ea'rly in November, was a daring Cossack raid, screening movements in woods and sunken roads. This time the Russians swept over open country, with overwhelming forces of tanks and artillery which were ferried across the Dnieper by day and night for weeks. German armoured groups counter-at-tacked from Jitomir and everywhere met Soviet artillery of all calibres, including long-range guns which the Russians brought forward behind and within the dispositions of their infantry. ,

The Moscow radio says reports from the area south-west of Jlobin show that all enemy attempts to improve their positions have failed. Soviet troops have repelled all enemy attacks. The report quotes a number of instances where Soviet officers and men inflicted losses on the enemy without yielding ground. One Red Army unit repelled a number ,of attacks launched by a German battalion supported by seven tanks. The enemy left 450 dead, four guns and five machine-guns and was compelled to retreat. The Red Army destroyed 200 German tanks and caterpillar guns in a recent battle south-west of Jlobin. In some sub-sectors the Russians fought the enemy to a standstill during the first few hours and soon reduced them to exhaustion on the whole sector. General Rokossovsky again proved his' reputation by not yielding an inch of ground once he had taken it.

A later message states that fresh German reserves being rushed to the Kiev salient were given a foretaste of battle when Stormoviks, out in force, attacked them, despite low cloud and mist. Thirty tanks, six flak waggons and nearly a battalion of motorised infantry were destroyed in Tuesday’s sweeps.

A large-scale bomber offensive against the Germans’ rail junctions can be expected as soon as the weather settles down to normal winter conditions.