NEW PHASE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21632, 8 February 1945, Page 5

NEW PHASE

BATTLE OF REICH ODER LINE BROKEN RED ARMY FORGES ON

ENCIRCLING BRESLAU (10 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 7. With the line of the Oder —“Germany’s river of destiny”—now turned by Marshal Koniev’s break-through on a 50-mile front south-east of Breslau, correspondents in Moscow see the beginning of an important new phase in the battle of Germany, in which the Russians have already begun to slash into the southern flank of the approaches to the BerlinPrague defence line. ■Reuter’s correspondent in Moscow says that although heavy fighting is likely to continue along the bank of tlie Oder for some time, this last water barrier guarding the vital areas of eastern Germany has been breached to all intents and purposes. Front-line reports reaching Moscow to-day state that Marshal Koniev is broadening and deepening his mighty bridgehead across the Oder in heavy fighting and is steadily pushing nearer Breslau in an encircling mbvement while big new Russian forces move up through the bridgehead. It is probable in view of Breslau’s size and importance that Marshal Koniev will prefer to reduce the garrison completely instead of bypassing it. A number of German divisions transferred from the Western Front are reported to be among the medley of German auxiliary and reserve troops, Volkssturmers and local gendarmerie locked in the savage fighting along the perimeter of Marshal Koniev’s bridgehead. Germans Short of Tanks The Germans are threatened with a shortage of tanks in this area as a result of their heavy losses in the attempt to ward off the threat against Breslau.

The Soviet Army paper Red Star to-day reported that the Germans are trying to make armoured transports do the work of tanks and are also sending forward mobile guns v/hich were formerly used for the support of tank spearheads in their first counter-attacking waves. The Germans, however, are fighting desperately and can still hurl powerful tank and infantry formations into battle. Luftwaffe reinforcements have arrived, and the scale of their efforts against the Russians is illustrated by the report that they are flying more than 1700 sorties daily over Marshal Koniev’s bridgehead. Advancing Toward Saxony The Associated Press' correspondent in Moscow says that Marshal Koniev’s - . armies are advancing through Silesia towards Saxony and the Sudetenland, leaving the broken and conquered defence line on the Upper Oder deep in their rear. Marshal Koniev for the moment appears to be carrying the ball, while Marshal Zhukov softens the centre of the Oder Line. Marshal Koniev is pouring his infantry past the breached Oder Line to follow up his armour and mobile artillery along a network of paved roads, including a wide autobahn leading directly northwestward to Berlin. Despite the thaw which set in throughout Silesia last week, Marshal Koniev avoided being bogged down in the mud and moved so swiftly that the enemy garrisons in town after town were routed before they were able to sabotage their equipment. The fahatical defenders of the Breslau fortress are believed to be cut off from land communications. The continuation of their resistance depends on airborne supplies. The correspondent added that the firstrate railway centre of Liegnitz is likely to come under direct attack as soon as the Russians move downstream from the Upper Oder. ■ The Red Star says that the Vistula Guards Regiment was the first to reach the Oder. The regiment covered 30 miles in 24 hours to reach the riveV, leaving a trail of smashed Panzers, cars and corpses. The Red Star says that the Germans are reported to be counter-attacking against south-east of Breslau against Marshal -Kornev's new bridgehead on , the west bank of the Oder.