TWO CAPTURES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 64, Issue 34, 19 November 1943, Page 4

TWO CAPTURES.

SUCCESSES BY THE RED ARMY. GERMAN REINFORCEMENTS. ATTEMPT TO RETAKE JITOMIR. (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 1.50 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 18. The Red Army to-day captured Korosten and Ryezhitsa. These important successes are announced' in an Order of the Day by M. Stalin. Meanwhile, in fighting as bloody as any waged in this year’s campaign, massive forces of German panzer and infantry are still frenziedly battling against the south flank of General Vatutin’s wedge in an all-out effort to recapture Jitomir, which the Russians overran five days ago. The Red Army ,is undergoing the stiffest test since it broke the German lines at Orel and Byelgorod four months ago, says the correspondent of the National Broadcasting Corporation at Moscow. The Germans are usinghuge forces trying to break up the Russian salient west of Kiev. Although relatively small air forces are in action a tremendous ground .battle has developed.

The British United Press correspondent reports that fresh German reinforcements are still being thrown into the battle. German tank forces south east of Jitomir are making powerful attempts to crush the Russian artillery and attack the infantry behind the guns, but the Red Army gunners are facing the assault firmly, tearing great gaps in the enemy’s tank units.

The Germans apparently believe that the recapture of Jitomir would be the best means of stopping the great Russian drive through the Ukraine. The toughness of the German counter-attacks underlines the fact that the Red Army’s advance has not been the result of a series of victory parades but follows hard fighting.