BALTIC OFFENSIVE

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 January 1944, Page 5

BALTIC OFFENSIVE

RUSSIANS MAKE PROGRESS

HUGE FORCE ENGAGED

LONDON, January 18. There ’s still no confirmation from Moscow of a Russian offensive on the Leningrad front. The German Overseas News Agency, however, reports Russian forces lor three clays have been violently trying to unhinge the German Iron! between Leningrad and Lake Ilmen. The Russians stated that around Novogrod they threw in six or seven rifle divisions and tank formations, and managed to press back the German front a few miles. . Vichy radio savs that a Russian offensive in the northern sector is steadily growing in impoitance, the main attacks being centred south of Lake Ladoga, iwrtli ol Lake Ilmen and in the vicinity ol Oiamenbaum where local bleaches were made’in the German defences. Russian divisions are remarkably wellequipped and in superior numbers. Violent fighting also flared up near Vitebsk. Russian tanks west oi Mosir penetrated the German lines at some points. . , ~ An S.T.B. correspondent says the Russians are flinging in hundreds of olanes and tanks and masses 01. infantry hr a Vitebsk battle. fheie has been no respite for the Germans The Russians still come on as their dead pile up be!ore the Gerlate on Monday night said: The Russians are using. 2a0,00(. men on the northern front in their offensive. After attacking across the frozen tip of Lake Ilmen they crossed the Volkhov River, 16 miles north-east of Lake Ilmen. Russian paratroops ol a new rormation named the “Foreign Legion of the Air,’’ are operating actively far behind'the German lines, particularly in the Baltic States. i They are dipped at night and oe me morning have made contact ana Sen hidden by underground o - ganisations working agamst ' Gc r T nine 1 hpv SCatte tDlOllgu iSX. uprisings. ‘"Their aim is W ’‘iy the foundations for the liberation and Estonia. I-ithuarua. via. Para PfXl Sta£ they are dropped have little difficulty in P ass, "S conmieTed fication papers, becaii.f forirpas are already tinea wiur roi eieners working in labour corps and foctories Many paratroops are men who were forced into labour camps byth" Germans, but eseaped to ■Riiccin The Germans know 1 moons’ are being dropped behind RSFuSE TbJy. believe the ?aratroops are preparingl ££ rj?pn,series of. gigantic piston rue i sives.

PARTISANS ACTIVE

RUGBY. January 18. Leningrad partisan giW. January 1 to January 10 derailed German military trains and about 300 wagons and trucks, state? a Moscow ‘ supplementary communiciue. Partisans also destioyea So™ ‘ 50 miles ot telephone and telecrranb cables, routed two German Sisons and destroyed one armoured car, four guns, and four motorcars.

ADVANCE IN POLAND

LONDON. January 18. According to Moscow reports a Russian inbases at Rovno and Sokolniki ,s in cr ßeutfr's° Moscow correspondent states: Russian forces are now ?:U s a at ME & I-loryn, which flows above the town. Russian forces are only, eijm from Sokolniki, which is faan o a pincer movement from the norm ana south-west. . A Moscow communique says, na .- sian forces north ol Sokolniki occupied several inhabited places, 1 ;7 eluding Tuchin, 15 miles north-east of Rovno, Slobodka, 50 west of Sokolniki, and Kisilwicm, .10 miles north ol Sokomiki.

BATTLE OF VINNITSA

LONDON, January 17. The battle east of Vinnitsa, winch is the key to the wnole southern front, has become a struggle ol an trition over a 70-mile iiont. man counter-attacks in the second week have shown no signs m abating. General von Mannstein is using up men and materia on a scale comparable witn the ba.de.ol Stalingrad. It is stated he is losing 10 Seutet C ' a Vlo S cow correspondent stated: Now a week old. the .battle at Vinnitsa appears to be swinging in favour of the Russians who. apparently, have fought the Germans to a standstill. M The German Overseas , News Agency’s latest Eastern Front import makes no further mention ol German counter-attacks east ol Vinnitsa. The only reference to mis sector in the Russian, report is that the Russian offensive in the area between the Bug and Dnieper Rivers has now petered out completely.

MANNSTEIN’S LAST THROW

(Rec. 12.15 p.m.) LONDON. Jan. 18. General von Mannstein. who is back on the Eastern Front following an emergency conference with Hitler and the High ■ Command, is preparing for his last throw to save the Odessa-Lwow railway and the Bug River line, says Reuters Moscow correspondent. After incessant counter-attacks east of Vinnitsa and north of Uman, von Mannstein has concentrated his mauled panzer divisions for a final blow against one small, narrow sector. The next 48 hours should show whether the panzers have any real punch left. Von Mann,stein’s .’last order before leaving was: “Halt the Russians at any cost on the approaches to the Odessa railway.' Ine enemy tank onslaughts mean dine have'checked the Russians, but at great cost. It is obvious that Mannstein cannot much longer stand the rate of losses suffered in the-last few days east of Vinnitsa ana north of Uman. There are already, signs that he has been forced to modify his tactics by trying a break-through on a much 'narrower front. The Russian threat to the OdessaLwow railway, although warded off for a week, is in no way removed. The Red Army, overcoming stiff resistance, is thrusting rapidly towards Rovno and is within .11 miles of the north-eastern part of the city. The Germans simultaneously north-west of Kolenkovichi are withdrawing to the central Pripet Marshes in an attempt to reach the railway further westward which rims to Bobruisk.

RUSSIAN CLAIMS

RUGBY, January .18. To-night’s Moscow communique confirms enemy reports that the Russians have started an offensive on the Leningrad front. It says that the German line has been .pierced southward of Oranienbaum on the Baltic coast, west of Leningrad. It also stated that the Russians are developing their offensive on the Volkhov front north's ward of Lake Ilmen. Moscow reports to-night indicate that the great Vinnitsa battle is likely to flare up again. Von Mannstein. after weeks of heavy counter-attacks and a-temporary lull, is reported to