RAILWAYS IN RUSSIA

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 November 1943, Page 5

RAILWAYS IN RUSSIA

RED ARMY GAINS GOMEL’S FALL IMMINENT LONDON, November 17. The Russian armies in the Ukraine and White Russia have made important progress in their drive to split the German forces. In the last 24 hours the powerful Russian forces advancing north-west of Kiev have overrun more than 60 places, and were reported to-day to be only a mile or two from the important rail centre of Korosten. The Russians are rapidly gaming command of the main north-south railway between Korosten ana Jitomir, and also of a stretch of the railway above Korosten. On I* l6 Russians’ right flank, north of Korosten, stretch the great Pripet Marshes, where there are few communications. The Germans are making their big effort further south, on the front between Jitomir and Fastov, where heavy tank fighting is going on. Reports suggest that it is the Russian plan to tijgh/t a holding battle here. North of the Pripet Marshes the battle is approaching Gomel, southernmost German stronghold on the White Russia front. ' Gomel has been closely invested from the east and south for some weeks, and the Russians have now begun to attack from the north, from their bridgehead on the Sozh River. They have made considerable progress, and have reduced a number of strongholds. A dispatch to the 8.8. C. from Moscow says the Germans are unlikely to be able to hold Gomel much longei. There are reports that Russian artillery is beginning to lay clown a heavy barrage on the outskirts of the city. Moscow radio says: The Germans have thrown in new regrouped infantry units and also major tank iorces in an attempt to restore their position - in the Fastov area. Soviet forces continue to ward off these German coun-ter-attacks. , , Reuter’s Moscow correspondent states: To the south of the Kiev salient, battle is developing rapidly as ’Soviet troops complete an outshining of Korosten. With three out of six of its railroad connections cut, the position of this important junction is becoming The latest report states that Russian troops have passed Zlobichi, six miles south-east of Korosten, and are now marching straight on the town According to che Paris iadio, 2 Russian divisions during the last 4» hours have been attacking in successive waves west of Smolensk in an attempt to break through to Orsha Local breaches were achieved by the Russians, but these have been sealed

rx* j ° Moscow radio says: About 10,000 , houses, including apartment houses, , have been newly built or reconstruct < ed in Stalingrad. Winter housing is , thus provided for 97,500 persons. ; GERMAN EFFORTS. RUGBY, November 17. ’ The Russians have a firm hold on the railway behind Gomel, between Ryechitsa and Kalinkovichi Junction, . near Mozyr, while one force yester- . day drove west from Demechi and ; captured Babichi, 30 miles east Kalinkovichi. Another took Salta novo just north-west oi Ryechitsa, thus both Ryechitsa and Gomel itself ■ seems likely to be taken m the real. , This offensive is linked with the ad vance south of the Pripet Marshes • where Korosten is closely threatened I bv movements to the north and south . oi' the town, as well as directly from , principal German reaction j continues to be on the south side ol the RussiaiT salient between Jhonmi lacks'in "tbis area reformed infantry units and large tank loma , tions are trying to regain important , positions. FAILURE_REPORTED zrcc 10 50 a-m.)”LONDON, Nov 17. . While the Red Army is poised to smash into Korosten and Gomel, the ; Germans gathered tnemselves ioi the • biggest counter-attacks since the ' opening of the Autumn campaign. . Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says , that von Mannstein, in a stiff bid to thwart General Vatutins westward ( drive, has thrown in 150.000 men and hundreds of tanks against the Rea Army’s Jitomir-Fastov wedge. The battle is on a vast scale. Strong Panzer formations and re-formed mechanised units in the past lew hours joined in the struggle, which has been going on lor the past six days. The enemy is desperately battling to keep open the lines ol escape between Fastov and Odessa lor the German armies still engaged m the Dnieper Bend. The British United Press declares that Mannstein’s large-scale attempt to halt the Red Army thrust west of Kiev has failed. The Germans in the Fastov area, alter throwing in the biggest concentrations of tanks seen since the Summer battles, mounted repeated attacks against the Red Army’s south flank, but the Russian artillery smashed the attacks and left hundreds of crippled tanks on the battlefield. WITHDRAWALS ADMITTED. (Rec. 12.25 p.m.)~LONDON, Nov. 17. The British United Press expresses the opinion taht if Mannstein launched a massive counter-blow earlier, when the Kiev salient was first being pushed out, he might have succeeded, but the German High Command left the bid to olate. It is added that the left flank of the Red Army’s salient is now secure and strong enough for new attacks against the Germans in the West Ukrainian communications system. Meanwhile, Moscow reports confirm that Vatutin's forces on the north flank of the salient are progressing irresistibly towards Korosten, the classic ' Russian pincers movement being employed as one column strikes round northwards ot the town while the German garrison is pinned down by heavy pressure from the south and west. Russian guns are now shelling’ the outskirts of Korosten. The reports add that Gomel is now isolated. The Berlin radio to-night admitted another retreat towards Korosten, saying that “Russian attempts to break through were not successful because the German line was taken back some miles.” The radio added that south-west of Gomel German defence formations had withdrawn to shortened positions and that sav- . age hand-to-hand fighting was going on north-west of Gomel. The German News Agency commentator, von Haomer, forecast major Red Army operations at the gates of the Crimea and added that a Russian thrust made on the Perekop Isthmus was frustrated by a shortening of the German front. GERMANS TO MAKE STAND (Rec. 1.10) LONDON, Nov. 17. To-night’s Soviet communique states: The Red Army in Dnieper Bend captured several strongly for- ’ tilled defence points, including Veselaya, Dolina, Krutoi and Tomakovka, 21 miles north-east of Nikpol. The Russians in the Jitomir-Koroatyshev regions fought a stubborn battle against enemy tank and infantry forces, and were compelled to abandon several inhabited places under the enemy’s pressure. The Red Army in the Korosten region captured Narodich, 12 miles south-east of Ovruch, besides 30 inhabited places, and in

the area of the lower reaches of the Privett River captured Chernobly, 60 miles north north-west of Kiev. The Russians are now fighting on the western outskirts of Ryechitsa. The Exchange Telegraph’s Zurich correspondent declares that well informed circles in Berlin state the time for withdrawal according to plan has definitely passed and the German Army is firmly determined to resist the Russian offensive with utmost vigour. Hitler is reported to have instructed the High Command to hold the front line outside Germany. All available reserves are reported as being sent to Russia. . .