BUDAPEST SURROUNDED

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 December 1944, Page 6

BUDAPEST SURROUNDED

GARRISON TRAPPED

RED AIR FORCE ACTIVITY LONDON, December 26, Budapest is almost surrounded byRussian forces. Only one road out of the city is still in German hands and it is being attacked by the Red Air Force. • ‘•The Red Army is at Budapest s back door, and the German and Hungarian garrison is practically trapped.” says a correspondent of the British United Press. “In addition, all the railways west of the city have been cut and Russian forces are within six miles of Esztergom, the old cathedral city from which the last remaining railway from Budapest northward crosses the Danube into Czechoslovakia. The fall of Esztergom will mean that the remaining enemy forces in the Budapest area will be completely encircled by Marshal Tolbukhin’s men west of the Danube and by Marshal Malinovsky’s forces lining the east bank of the Danube. Any Germans who succeed in crossing the Danube northward will fall into the hands of Marshal Malinovsky’s troops in Czechoslovakia, who are already 20 miles on from |,he Ipel river.” A Russian ' supplementary communique reports that Soviet troops have captured Czolnok, six miles south of Esztergom. The Russians have fought their way into a village 3000 yards west of Budapest. “Budapest’s' garrison, 'which' is practically cut off from escape except by one road useable only at night, is dug in for. what appears to bo a suicidal defence of a hopeless position.” says the Moscow corresoondent of the Associated Press. “The Russians today edged closer to the capital and began a systematic shelling of two enemy-held airports. Soviet aeroplanes meanwhile maintained ceaseless attacks against the city. “Red Star” says that Russian forces between the Danube and Lake Balaton have routed a German panzer division consisting almost entirely of Royal Tiger tanks. ESZTERGOM CAPTURED.

(Rec. 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, December 26

.A Soviet communique says: Russians in Hungary north of Gyongyos captured the railway station of Salgotarjan and in the fighting in this area on Sunday and Monday captured 960 Germans and Hungarians. The Red Army north-west and west of Sahy fought a way into several places. Troops of the Third Ukrainian Front, developing outflanking of Budapest from the east reached the Danube, and captured the town and rail station of Esztergom completing the encirclement of the enemy group in the Budapest area. The Russians also captured nine of the western suburbs of Budapest, besides two railway stations. Troops of the Third Ukrainian Front south-west and west of Budapest captured 22-10 Germans and Hungar-

The German garrison in Budapest estimated al 100,000 is -completely surrounded with the Russians, the capture of Esztergom, which is 20 miles north-west of Budapest, and the junction of the last remaining railway from Budapest running north across the Danube, the Associated Press Moscow correspondent says the doomed defenders of Budapest are caught between two veteran armies of Malinovsky from the north and east and Tolbukhin from the west and north-west'.’

Beuter’s correspondent says the honour of sealing the fate of the powerful German group fell to Tolbukhin’s men, who lunged through to E-sztertgom. The capture of Esztergom was the climax of the northward advance of 120 miles, which, Tolbukhin started on November 29, when he stormed across- the Danube near Mohacs. There are only two avenues left for the- gwrison to receive supplies and both are hazardous. Firstly, by air ihrough a screen Russian fighters, mid secondly by the- river which is covered for’so‘miles by Red .Army ert! i levy. Benter’s Moscow correspondent toys: The loss of Budapest with its numerous lactones will bo a considerable slice from the enemy’s war resources. The latest break-through also brings the lied Army within 50 miles o! Gym-, the site of the importmil Messerschmitt works. The new-ly-formed i-Jungarian provisional Government is preparing to enter Budapest on the heels of the Red Army. EAST PRUSSIAN FRONT. RUGBY, December 26. The Russians are concentrating huge forces of artillery in East Prussia, where they face fortifications more formidable perhaps thany anything yet known on the Eastern Front, writes a Moscow correspondent. It is expected that the Germans will flood entire districts in East Prussia, in an attempt to hamper the Soviet offensive. Fortified zones in this area abound in the rivers, and lake canals with a system of specially constructed dams and sluices by which torronls of water can be released at short nonce.