SOVIET ARMIES’ SWEEP

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21619, 23 January 1945, Page 3

SOVIET ARMIES’ SWEEP

POSEN AND BROMBERG MENACED GIANT PINCERS ON EAST PRUSSIA INSTERBURG AND ALLENSTEIN CAPTURED THREAT TO BERLIN-DANZIG RAILWAY (British Official Wireless.) (11 a.m.) RUGBY, Jan. 22. Marshal Zhukov’s First White Russian Army struck 40 miles north-west to-day down the left bank of the Vistula River and his spearhead is already south of and beyong Bydgoszcz (Bromberg), where the Vistula makes a sharp bend to the north. This is 40 miles from the Berlin-Danzig railway and 190 miles from Berlin itself. Meanwhile, General Chernyakovsky, Commander of the Third White Russian Front, has captured Insterburg’, in East Prussia. Marshal Stalin, in an Order of the Day to Marshal Zhukov and his Chief of Staff, General Malinin, states: ‘ Troops of the First White Russian Front, continuing the offensive today, captured the towns of Hohensalza (Inowroclaw), Aleksandrow Argenau (Gniewkowo) and Labiszyn, important junctions of communication lines and strongholds of German defence on the approaches to Bydgoszcz. ’ ’ Inowrocraw is on the important Poznan (Posen )-Torun- Allenstein railway, 24 miles south southeast of the great road and railway centre of Bydgoszcz at the bend of the Vistula. Aleksandrow is 11 miles south of Torun. Argenau or Gniewkowo is 20 miles south-east of Bydgoszcz. Labiszyn is 12 miles south-south-west of Bydgoszcz and 38 miles from the Polish-German frontier in the direction of eastern Pomerania. _ . ~ The Russians may be aiming to cut the Berlin-Danzig railway at Schneidemuhl, 50 miles north of Poznan. By capturing Insterburg, they deprived the Germans oi one of the chief centres in East Prussia, and further compressed the pocket into which they are driving the enemy in this province. _ . _ . . . Still more threatening to the Germans in East Prussia is the news given in the Third Order of the Day to Marshal Rokossovsky, Commander of the Second White Russian Front. is announces the capture of Allenstein, in central East Prussia, miles south of Konigsberg and 80 miles south-west of Insterburg. The Russians are thus driving into East Prussia from the nortneast and south, hemming in huge forces in between their pmcei . A further striking advance from the Russians nearest pom to Berlin is announced in the fourth Order of the Day hy Marshal Stalin. Gnesen (Gniezno), 28 miles east of Poznan has been taken by Marshal Zhukov’s troops. As the crow flies this brings the Russians within 172 miles of the eastern outskirts of Berlin. At the same time it imperils still further the Germans left in East Prussia.