POISED TO STRIKE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 64, Issue 33, 18 November 1943, Page 4

POISED TO STRIKE

RED ARMY AT KOROSTEN. CLASSIC PINCERS MOVEMENT. HEAVY GERMAN COUNTERBLOWS. (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 10.25 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 17. ' The Russians have a firm hold on the railway behind Gomel, between Ryechitsa and Kalinovichi junction, near Mozyr. While once force yester day drove west from Demechi and captured Babichi, 30 miles each of Kalinkovichi, another took Saltanovo, just north-west of Ryechitsa. Thus both Ryechitsa and Gomel itself seem likely to be taken in the rear. This offensive is linked with an advance south of the Pripet Marshes, where Korosten is closely threatened by movements to the north and south of the town as well as directly from Kiev.

The principal German reaction continues to be on the south side of the Russian salient between Jitomir and Bielayatserkev. There is no slackening of German counter-attacks in this area, whex*e reformed infantry units and large formations of tanks are trying to regain important positions.

While the Red Army is poised to smash into Korosten and Gomel the Germans have gathered themselves for the biggest counter-attacks since the opening of the autumn campaign. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says that Marshal von Mannstein, in a stiff bid to thwart General Vatutin’s westward drive, has thrown in 150,000 men and hundreds of tanks against the Red Army’s Jitomir-Fastov wedge. The battle is on a vast scale. Strong panzer formations and reformed mechanised units in the past few hours joined in the struggle, which has been going on for the past six days. The enemy is desperately battling to keep open his lines of escape between Fastov and Odessa for the German armies still engaged in the Dnieper Bend.

The British United Press declares that von Mannstein’s large-scale attempt to halt the Red Army thrust west of Kiev has failed. The Germans in the Fastov area, after throwing in the biggest concentrations of tanks seen since the summer battles, mounted repeated attacks against the Red Army’s south flank, but the Russian artillery Smashed attacks and left hundreds of crippled tanks on the battlefield. Germans Lost Their Chance. The British United Press expresses the opinion that if von Mannstein had launched his massive counter-blow earlier, when the Kiev salient was first being pushed out, he might have succeeded; but the German High Command left the bid too late. The left flank of the Red Army's salient was secure and strong enough for new attacks against the Germans west of the Ukranian communications system.

Meanwhile, Moscow reports confirm that Vatutin’s forces on the north flank of the salient are progressing irresistibly toward Korosten, the classic Russian pincers movement being employed as one column strikes round northwards of the town while the German garrison is pinned down by heavy pressure from the south and west. Russian guns are shelling tha outskirts of Korosten, anti Gomel is isolated.

The ’Berlin radio to-night admitted another retreat toward Korosten, say* ing: “Russian attempts to break through, were not successful because the German line was taken back some miles.” The radio added that south west of Gomel the German defence formations had withdrawn to short ened positions. Savage hand-to-hand fighting was going on north-west of Gomel. _ ■ The German News Agency commentator (von Hammer) forecast a major Red Army operation at the gates ot the Crimea. He said that the Russian thrust made on the Perekop Isthmus was frustrated by shortening the German front.

The Soviet communique to-night states that the Red Army in the Dnieper Bend captured several stronglyfortified defence points, including Yeselaya, Dolina, Krutoi and Tornak Gvka, 21 miles north-east of Nikopol. The Russians in the Jitomir and Koroatyshev regions fought stubborn battles against forces of enemy tanks and infantry and were compelled to abandon several inhabited places Under the enemy’s pressure. The Red Army in the Korosten region captured Narodich, 12 miles south-east of Ovruch, besides 30 inhabited places, and in the area of the lower reaches of the Pripet River captured Chernpbyl, 60 miles north-/north-west of Kiev. The Russians are now fighting on the western outskirts of Ryechitsa.