MASSIVE ASSAULT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 64, Issue 32, 17 November 1943, Page 3

MASSIVE ASSAULT

RUSSIAN MOVE IN SOUTH.

ENEMY COMMUNICATIONS CUT. DESPERATE PLIGHT AT GOMEL 'N.Z- Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 11.35 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 16. The massive Russian assault against German lines of communication is now severing railways and highways from White Russia to the shores of the Black Sea. The Russians are leaving the Germans fewer and fewer lines for the transfer of reserves to reinforce vital points or for withdrawals of men and material.

The capture of Demiehi railway station is a bitter blow against the enemy, who until three days ago was using the line for getting troops and supplies into Gomel. The Red Army forces now pouring into the gap smashed the White Russia line by the break-through across the only railway from Gomel to the westward.

A dispatch from the front to-night said that the advance was pushing on rapidly. General Vatutin’s troops pushing north from the Kiev bulge are now joining with the forces which outflanked Gomel from the west, threatening to turn the entire White Russian line. This co-ordinated drive threatens to throw the Germans back to the Pripet Marshes.

The Gomel garrison is reported to be in a desperate position. The'available German reserves in this region have been weakened and losses of planes and transport vehicles have also been heavy. General Vatutin’s men farther south are closing in along the 60-mile front against Korosten on the north-south railway.

According to latest reports the Russians have reached points less than 15 miles from Korosten. Reuter’s correspondent at Moscow says that another column is driving against the railway 25 miles north of Korosten and Ryechitsa, which is the only adequate road across the eastern end of the Pripet Marshes. It is also menacing the Korosten-Chernigov railway, both lines being under fire, already crossed by cavalry patrols.

MAIN RAILWAY LINE CUT. LONDON, November 16. Russian forces on the Ukraine front are reported to be moving south from Jitomir, heading for the upper Bug and the tangle of roads and railways serving the German forces in the Dnieper Bend. Heavy battles are raging as ttie Germans throw in all tlieir available tank and motorised forces on a front extending south-east from Jitomir. Big issues are at stake, and the Germans are suffering heavy tank losses in an effort to keep open their corridor to the west.

Other Russian forces are fanning out from Jitomir in a way that must influence the battle for Korosten, 50 miles to the north. Russian advanced forces approaching Korosten from tue south-east must now be near the outskirts of the town.

The Germans continue to put out reports of a Russian offensive in the Krivoi Rog area, inside the Dnieper Bend. The Germans admit some Russian progress.

A new Russian advance south-west of Gomel has cut the maiu lailway and motor road from Gomel to the west. The Russians have occupied the of Demichi, eight miles west of Ryezhitsa and 30 miles south-west of Gomel. The Moscow radio reports that 3000 Germans were killed in the fighting for Demichi. The Russians captured a considerable number of prisoners, 39 guns, nine ammunition dumps, 27 tanks, and 477 lorries. Tlie capture of Demichi means that the German garrison at Gomel is no longer able to escape westwards, but only to the north-west along the Gomel-Minsk line. *

The Soviet communique issued last night says: “The Russians in the Korosten direction captured the district centre of Kaganovichi, which is 25 miles north-east of Korosten, the district centre of Bazar, and more than 40 other inhabited localities.

“West of Fastov and south-east of Jitomir the Russians repelled coun-ter-attacks from large forces of enemy tanks and infantry.

“The Russians south and southwest of Ryezhitsa broke enemy resistance and captured 14 heavily fortified strongpoints and the railway station of Demichi, eight miles west of Ryozhitsa. The capture of Demichi severs the Gomel-Kalinvochi railway and motor road.”

A GeVman communique admits that the Russians have penetrated German positions south-west of Gomefl.