BRESLAU BOUND

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

BRESLAU BOUND

REDS IN SILESIA RAIL CENTRES SEIZED PINCERS ON EAST PRUSSIA LONDON, Jan. 21. The Russian capture of Kreuzburg, 49 miles south-east of Breslau on the Cracow-Breslau railway, gives tne Russians control of the junction ot five railways connecting northern Germany with the great Silesian mining and heavy industry area, says Reuter’s correspondent. The Red Army at Gutlentag is only 22 miles east of Oppeln, the capital of upper Silesia, which lies on the right bank of the Oder River on the main railway to Breslau and Berlin. All rail and river traffic irom > tne Silesian, Polish and Czech mining areas and the synthetic oil plants passes through Oppeln. Heading- for Breslau The British United Press says that Marshal Koniev's drive is heading straight for Breslau and for the upper reaches of the Oder River south-east of Breslau. This is the stretch of the great river over which an easy crossing can be forced. The mention of large numbers of infantry, tank, artillery, air force, engineer and signal formations in Marshal Stalin s first Order of the Day indicates that trie Russians are inside Silesia in strength, says the Associated Press. Marshal Koniev’s tanks and motorised infantry in 10 days have stormed more than 150 miles from the Vistula River to bring the fight to German soil. Marshal Koniev, once across the Oder River, -will have a relatively straight run north-west up the west bank of the river all the way to Berlin, which is little more than 210 miles from the most advanced spearheads.

The German News Agency says that Soviet forces, after driving an armoured wedge into the German positions reached Grosstrehlitz, on the main railway from Oppeln to Katowice. The eastern centre has now shifted to Upper Silesia.. “Enemy pressure is further increasing but German resistance has become extremely tough,’’ added the agency. Tannenburg Avenged Marshal Stalin’s second Order .of the Day, which was addressed to General Chernyakovsky, described Gumbinnen as an important communication centre and powerful stronghold of German defence in the direction of Konigsberg. He said that Gumbinnen was captured by storm. Reuter’s correspondent points out that the westward thrust through Gumbinnen is being synchronised with the drive through Tilsit. The railways from Tilsit and from Gumbinnen meet at Insterburg, 15 miles west of Gumbinnen. Tannenberg, the scene of the great Russian defeat in the autumn of 1914 has been avenged, says the British United Press. Field Marshals Hindenburg and Ludendorff at Tannenberg in 1914 caught and defeated the Russian Army under General Samsanov, wiping out four-fifths and taking prisoner 90,000. Marshal Rokossovsky, who has avenged this defeat, was then just entering the Russian Army as a private. . Field Marshal Hindenburg was buried at Tannenberg, where the Germans erected a great memorial to the first battle. Hitler at one time had his eye on a spare vault in the memorial and said he hoped to lie side by side with Hindenburg. Within 90 Miles of Danzig Marshal Rokossovsky’s drive has penetrated within 90 miles of Danzig which, with the “pincering” of East Prussia, is emerging as the main object of his offensive, states Reuter's correspondent in Moscow. His forces are cutting the Volkssturm to pieces. Many Germans are being forced into the forests, where they await the Soviet mopping-UD parties. Russian planes on the Polish front are flying ahead, scattering millions of leaflets announcing the approach of the liberating armies. li