INVASION OF HUNGARY

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24372, 26 September 1944, Page 5

INVASION OF HUNGARY

Russians Cross Border FIGHTING IN SLOVAKIA (N.Z. Press Association— Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 25. The invasion of Hungary has started. Russian and Rumanian forces last night crossed the frontier of Hungary and Transylvania near Arad. This is announced in a Rumanian communique quoted by the Bucharest radio. The Hungarian News Agency admits that Russian and Rumanian troops are advancing on the border of Hungary proper and says that “the Hungarians are up against superior enemy forces.”

The Russian’s are now across the Carpathians south of Sanok at the eastern end of Slovakia. The Czechoslovak communique does not mention this, but stalest “At Telgart, in central Slovakia, our attacks are developing successfully. Our troops occupied Vernar and Dobsina. In the areas of Svaty, Nartis, and Handlova,- defensive fighting continues. In the Upper Vah valley a German attack was repelled.”

MACEDONIA AND THRACE GREECE DEMANDS RETURN (8.0. W.) - RUGBY, Sept. ?4. A correspondent in Rome reports that the Greek Minister of Information (Cattalis) has said that Bulgaria must hand over at once, unconditionally and without further discussion, all Greek territories in Macedonia and Thrace which Bulgarians are occupying. Greece, under German domination, suffered to a greater extent than any other country. A recent medical examination of large numbers of children in Athens disclosed that 75 per cent, were suffering from consumption due to lack of food. Many villages have been destroyed and millions of people are without shelter. GREEKS MURDERED BY NAZIS (8.0. W.) RUGBY, Sept. 24. According to evidence given by witnesses and published in the Soviet press about 1200 Greek professors, doctors, and technicians died in Maidanek concentration camp, near Lublin, Poland, from excessive hunger, beatings, and execution squads. In April, 1943, 300 women from Greece were • shot. Among the 1,500,000 people murdered at Baldek were a considerable number of Greeks. ALLIED DRIVE IN CHINA (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) CHUNGKING, Sept. 24. “The Japanese have evacuated Pingka, 22 miles south-west,of Mangshih, in the Yunnan Province,” says the Chinese High Command. “The prime objective in the Allied drive is to join up with the forces in Burma and reopen the supply route to China.” General Stilwell’s communique says: “Liberators bombed the Japanese-held part of the Burma road, near Cheyang, causing landslides, which closed the road in two places. The same day bombers scored a direct hit on the Dara bridge, over the Menan river. Thailand nghtors' in the Kweilin area destroyed and damaged 200 boats in. the Siang river. They also hit a Hengyang ferry landing, and destroyed a bridge near Kianghwa.” NAVIES OF WORLD COMPARED WEAK POSITION OF JAPAN (Rec. 12.30 a.m.) LONDON. Sept. 25. Japan’s only notable new naval construction is believed to be two 45,000ton battleships, according to the new issue of Jane’s Fighting Ships, which for the first time gives their names as Musasi and Yamoto. Jane’s says the United States Navy, in January, 1944, comprised 4170 warships, compared with which the Japanese fleet, showing signs of attrition, faces a lengthening list of losses which her shipbuilding resources are unable to replace. America’s two 45,000-ton battleships Missouri and Wisconsin are due for commissioning in 1944, and make the total 24, with more than 100 aircraft-carriers In service. The British Navy now has 40 aircraft-carriers. VICTORY LOAN IN AUSTRALIA £160,000,000 REQUIRED (Rec. 12.5 a.m.) CANBERRA, Sept. 25. “The war in the Pacific has still to become an all-out effort and no Allied leader sees the early conclusion of it,” said the Prime Minister of Australia (Mr Curtin) in a broadcast to-night when he opened the second Victory Loan. The sum of £160,000,000 is required. Mr Curtin added: “When the forces of our Allies reach the massive proportions which Mr Churchill and President Roosevelt have agreed shall be used in the Pacific against Japan, the strains and stresses upon this country will be double, or treble, what they have been. I have told Mr Churchill and Mr Roosevelt of the part Australia’s fighting forces, on sea, on land, and in the air will perform, and that has been accepted. Our fighting forces will go forward as they have gone forward since the day the war started. The march towards victory will be as stern as was retreat in the dark days.” Severe Earthquake Reported.—A very severe earthquake in the area of Kamchatka Peninsula, in east Siberia, is reported by Weston "College. Massachusetts. Observatory officials said the tremors began at 8.24 a.m, on Saturday and lasted about three hours and a half. The centre was placed 5355 miles from Boston. —New York, September 25.