14 LEADERS VANISH

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24536, 9 April 1945, Page 5

14 LEADERS VANISH

London Poles’ Report invitation to MIA (NJS. Press Assotlation-rCopyright) . ■ LONDON, April 6. “Fourteen Polish leaders, including the Deputy-Prime Minister, members of the' Cabinet, and the last commander of the-How disbanded Home Army, have disappeared after accepting an invitation to talks by the chief of the Soviet political police (General Ivanow)," states the Polish Government in London. ‘ The Government statement adds that the memberssof the party, including an interpreter, were guaranteed their safety if they, attended a meeting with General Ivanow, to discuss the emergence from secrecy of Polish political parties. . • ■ The Deputy-Prime Minister, the chairman of the Council of National Unify, and the former commander of the Home Army saw General Ivanow oh March 27 and the remainder, followed them the next day. There has since been no news about their fate or whereabouts. * The Polish Government said on Friday night that, the names of the missing office holders could not be‘disclosed. General Ivanow sought the meeting in a written invitation, emphasising its exceptional importance. He said that the, Soviet authorities wished the underground Polish parties to disclose themselves to the Soviet "in order to include them in the general current of democratic Powers ip independent Poland.” The Polish delegates presented themselves before General Ivanow, but “so far they have not returned from the visit and they have not given a sign of life, either to their families or anyone else."

CZECHOSLOVAK GOVERNMENT

COALITION FORMED AMBASSADOR TO MOSCOW AS HEAD (Rec. 10.40 p.m.) LONDON, April 7. The Czechoslovak Ambassador to Moscow (Mr M. Fierlinger), who is 55, has formed the first Czechoslovak combined Government on home soil six years after the occupation of Prague* it is officially announced. It is a coalition “National Front” with the Left prevailing. Communists are strongly represented in the Government. In a Cabinet consisting of 22 members, three seats each have neen allotted to the Czech Communists, the Slovak Communists, the Social Democrats, the Czech Socialists (formerly Dr, Benes’s party), the Czech Catholic Party, and the Slovak Democrat Party. There are four non-party members, 1 Sixteen Ministers are Czechs and the rest Slovaks. Five of the 10 Minis-, ters from the London Government in' exile have been given portfolios. Mr Jan Masaryk remains Foreign Minister and’ General Svoboda, commander of the Czech troops fighting in Russia, takes over National Defence.

The key portfolio of the Interior goes to Mr Vaclav Nosek, a Communist who has lived in London during the war. Mr H. Ripka, formerly a Minister of State, takes over the new department of foreign trade. The Moscow radio announced that the new Government met for the first fime at Kosice and sent greetings to Mr Stalin, Mr Churchill, and Mr Roosevelt.

FIGHTING IX ITALY

STIFFENING GERMAN RESISTANCE

PROGRESS ON ADRIATIC FRONT (Rec. 11 pm.) LOITOON'- i ApriT 8. Reports from Italy indicate that German resistance is increasing, United States troops of the sth Army are meeting tough resistance in their drive through the mountains south ox Massa, and there has been bitter fighting. ‘ On the Adriatic front'the Bth Army has made more progress round me south-west shores' of Lake Comacchio, "Fifth Army troops, continuing their attack near the Ligurian coast, drove ,on beyond Monte Folgoritoj 19 miles south-east of Spezia, against light resistance," says the Associated Press correspondent in Rome, "The enemy north of ' Strettola,' between Monte Folgorito and the sea, compelled sth Army ? infantry to withdraw slightly from their newly won positions.” "Strong forces of escorted bombers on Friday bombed railyards, bridges and ordnance factories,” saysri Mediterranean air communique, ‘‘Among the targets hit were the Verona and Brescia- marshalling yards, and Ordnance plants at Verona arid Brescia; rind the Verona-Pefdna railway bridge. Fighters strafed rail objectives in southern Germany. • .‘ i ‘A gris plant, fuel dumps, factories and battle area objectives, as well as road arid rail communications, were targets for very strong forces of fighters and fighter-bombers. Medium bombers attacked gun positions at Spezia, and rail bridges in the central Po valley; and also the Rovico railway yards. “Coastal air force fighters and fighter-bombers strafed road and rail communications in northern Italy and Jugoslavia, and shipping in the Adriatic. Balkan Air Force fighters and fighter-bombers heavily attacked road movement near Sarajevo and bridges on the Sarajevo-Brod and Brod-Dovoj routes. In all 2300 sorties were flown and four aeroplanes failed to return.”

U-BOAT SU'NK IN INDIAN_OCEAN WEEK’S HUNT BY SHIPS AND AIRCRAFT (8.0. W.) RUGBY. April 7. Close co-operation by ships of tpe Royal Navy and the Royal Indian Navy and.naval and Royal Air Force aircraft resulted in the destruction of a U-boat in the Indian Ocean, reports the Admiralty. The action lasted seven days, during which surface forces and aircraft covered thousands of miles of ocean hunting the enemy. . The U-boat was finally destroyed by surface craft 1000 miles from where it was first detected.

GERMAN PRISONERS (Eec. 6.30 p.m.) LONDON. April 7. It is reported at Supreme Headquarters that the Allies in' the first five days of April, on the Western Front, captured 146,725 prisoners.

German Troop Movements.—Reuter’s Stockholm correspondent reports that the Germans have suspended Baltic traffic over the train ferry from Gjedser to Warnemunde, presumably' to clear the lines for troops from Denmark to .reinforce the north German front threatened by General Montgomery's advance.—London, April 7.