POWERFUL ATTACK IN EAST PRUSSIA

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 251, 23 October 1944, Page 5

POWERFUL ATTACK IN EAST PRUSSIA

GERMAN ADMISSIONS

"SaVage, Swaying Fighting In Progress"

N.Z. Press Association—Copyright Rec. 1 p.m. , LONDON, Oct. 22. According to the German news agency Russian forces have reached Tilsit, 54 miles south-east of Memel, in Lithuania. The Germans have withdrawn to the south bank of the Memel River and hard fighting with the pursuing Russians has developed, especially at Tilsit.

The German news agency commentator Plato said the Russians, on the sixth day of their offensive in East Prussia, massed tanks south of "Gumbinnen, in East Prussia, 36 miles south-east of Tilsit, and launched a powerful attack.

Berlin radio claims that the Germans have halted the Russians at Goldap, 20 miles south-east of Gumbinnen. The radio adds that the Red Army is using powerful. tank and infantry forces and savage, swaying fighting is in progress. German home guard battalions have moved up to support the Wehrmacht, while the Luftwaffe is fiercely battling with Russian planes.

Penetration of 16 Miles While there is no official news frcm Moscow about the fighting in East Prussia, correspondents in the Soviet capital indicate that the Red Army's main operations are directed along the highway towards Sterburg and Konigsberg, states British Official Wireless. It is reported that the Red Army has penetrated German territory to a depth of 16 miles and that fighting proceeds with unsurpassed fury. If such on- attack is not held by the Germans there is the prospect of East Prussia being split into two, with considerable German forces trapped in pockets at Konigsberg, Tilsit and Memel.

The Germans say the Russians have broken through with a great many tank forces between Romintert Forest (the famous hunting estate used by the former Kaiser and Field-Marshal Goering) and-, the Eydtkuhnen-Isterburg railway. The Germans say also that the outcome of this battle may decide the fate of the whole of East Prussia.

Important Centres. Occupied To-night's Soviet communique states: "Russian and Rumanian forces in Northern Transylvania occupied Seini and a number of other places. The troops in Hungary who captured Nyiregyhaza, also occupied Hajduboszormeny and several other places. Russians, north-west of Szeged, captured Kiskinkajsa, Nelykut and a number of smaller places.

"Russian forces in Yugoslavia captured the large railway junction of Sombor, also Ridica and other towns. Yugoslav and Russian forces in the area of Belgrade crossed the Sava River, and captured Zemun, also south-west and south of Belgrade occupied Obrenovac and Lazarevac. Russian forces yesterday took prisoner 1300 Germans at Kragujevac, captured much booty, and counted over 4000 dead Gerr mans."