BIG DRIVE SOON

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 102, 2 May 1944, Page 5

BIG DRIVE SOON

INDICATIONS IN EAST

RED BOMBER OFFENSIVE

(By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) Rec. 11 a.m. LONDON, May 1. There are signs of an early resumption of big-scale fighting on the central Russian front, where the Red Air Force bombers and Stormoviks arc at* present softening up the German communications and, airfields, saysWteuicr's Moscow correspondent. The Russians at the northern end of this sector, between Vitebsk and Polotsk, arc getting ready to move on the railway stronghold of Idritsa, north-west of Nevcl, on the direct route to the Baltic republics. General Rokossovsky, at the southern end of the.front, is-in position to move against the Beresina, developing a thrust towards Minsk. The southern front is also stirring with local battles in several sectors. The Russians are expected to drive into Czechoslovakia at any moment. Indeed, the Czech deputy, Rudolph Slansky, told "Red Star" today that the final stage-of the liberation of Czechoslovakia, had already begun. Red Army instructional films based on the fighting in New Guinea were shown to Soviet troops before the recent Crimean offensive began. Russian soldiers have adopted the Australian and American jungle tactics to prise the Germans from the craggy mountains, caves, and foxholes outside Sevastopol. As the Russian High Command anticipated, the Germans used Japanese methods of defence around Sebastopol and the Russians are digging out the Germans one by one from the mountain crannies around the port. The Moscow communique again reports no material changes on the front. The air communique says: "Our long-range planes last night made mass raids on the railway junction of Brest Litovsk. Theystarted 17 fires, four of which were particularly large, and:hit troop trains and supply trains. Explosions were seen in the target area.