SWAYING BATTLES

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 279, 22 August 1944, Page 5

SWAYING BATTLES

Obstacle To Russian Thrust Cleared

(By Telegraph.—Press Asha.—Copyright.)

LONDON, August 20. The Red Army today finally wiped out the three divisions of Germans trapped two days ago near the upper Vistula. This frees part of Marshal Koniev’s forces for a continued advance north toward Warsaw and west toward German Silesia. Hitler had ordered the Germans on this front to fight to the last man; accordingly the trapped forces north of Sandomierz refused to surrender and the majority of the troops were killed. East of Warsaw the Russians repelled more German attacks and themselves captured several places.

Reuter’s Moscow correspondent reports that titanic tank battles are boiling up in northern Lithuania as the German high command pounds in more panzers and mobile guns in an attempt to smash a way through the Russian corridor and rescue the trapped German Baltic army. It is a war of attrition, but it is being carried on at such a tempo that it seems impossible the enemy can keep it up much longer. The Russians today gave some ground south-west of Riga. Moscow reports that several places were evacuated after stubborn fighting. East of Riga, ('however, the Red Army captured 70 places today, while on the northern front 150 places were taken, including one only seven miles from Tartu. “Any Moment Now." “Have no doubt about it, the Red Army will cross the East Prussian frontier at any moment now. This is the conclusive phase of the war," said Moscow radio this evening in a broadcast to the German Army and the German people. The British United Press Moscow correspondent says pilots of the Red Air Force, returning from strafing attacks, report that smoke from dozens of burning East Prussian towns is rolling low over the countryside. Rokossovsky’s armour, despite repeated panzer attacks, is edging closer to Warsaw and the suburb of Praga, but the correspondent thinks it may be Konlev’s army, at present advancing northward from the .Vistula- bridgehead at Sandomierz, which is intended to mount the main assault against Warsaw, most of which lies on the west bank of the Vistula. , , _ . , The correspondent adds that Komey s movement from the south, coupled with Zakharov’s drive from the north, which is approaching Lomza, may force tue Germans to abandon Warsaw under the threat of encirclement and win the Polish capital fo r the Russians without a frontal assault.

The German news agency commentator, Major von Hammer, said the Russians north-east of Warsaw attacked the German lines over a broad front, and after exceptionally bitter fighting which was costly to both sides, succeeded in making a-deep penetration. , 1 ~, .. The Russians yesterday, on both sides of Jassy, Bessarabia, began their , expected major offensive. The Russians achieved a penetration of li miles in depth, von Hammer said.

POLISH STRONGHOLD

Being Flattened Out In Warsaw LONDON, August 20. The underground army’s communique from within Warsaw says: “Since the early hours of August 10 the Old City quarter has been subjected to extremely heavy artillery and mortar fire. The German bombers continue to create havoc.. “Of the thousands of houses in the district few are left standing. The number of people injured is extremely high.

REBUILDING RAILWAYS

(Received August 21, 9.30 p.m.) LONDON, August 20. After track repairs by thousands women., the Red Arrow express train is again speeding through the liberated country between Leningrad and Moscow. Immediately Leningrad was liberated women began to clear the tracks, relay rails and trim sleepers in nearby forests. Women are also restoring the railway lines immediately in the-rear of the Red Army. In three years of war, the Russians have repaired nearly 22,000 miles of mainline tracks, including more than 50 miles of bridge spans. The rate of repair is now three times faster than in 1943, and the average rate. of bridge; building has grown from eight to 3a yards daily.