BASE SWELLED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21633, 9 February 1945, Page 3

BASE SWELLED

RUSSIANSON ODER PREPARING BLOW BERLIN BID COMING THRUST AT STETTIN (10 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 8. Marshal Zhukov is still broadening the "base of his wedge on the central front opposite Berlin in operations which Moscow correspondents see as the opening stage of his impending assault on the capital. Having occupied virtually every sector on the eastern 'bank of the Oder River from the Furstenberg area to a point between Kustrin and Stettin, the Russians to-day pushed north and south, swelling their base to the necessary size for large-scale attacks, says the Associated Press correspondent in Moscow. It seems certain that any bridgeheads Marshal Zhukov may have across the Oder are at present for strategic purposes and not as moving spearheads against Berlin. As Marshal Zhukov spreads out up and down the Oder and fills in unoccupied spots, his artillery is increasing its hammering against the German lines across the Oder, particularly against the fortress of Frankfurt. The Russians are outflanking Kustrin to such an extent and pounding its communications from the west that it may fall soon. Savage Air and Artillery Duels

Reuter’s correspondent in Moscow says that savage air and artillery duels are continuing across the Oder crossings as the Russians break into Damvorst, a suburb of Frankfurt on the east bank of the Oder, and also Kustrin.

Berlin reports admit that the Russians have got behind Kustrin, cutting direct road and rail communications to Berlin, says The Times’ correspondent in Stockholm. Berlin also admits that the Russians have made another crossing of the Oder near Frankfurt.

The German New Agency commentator, Major von Hammer, says that fighting on the Oder on both sides of Frankfurt and also west of Kustrin is rising in fury. The Russians, however, have not yet completed the deployment of their tank forces, and the present fighting cannot yet be regarded as the beginning of a really decisive battle.

“The Russians are attacking on a 12-mile front on both sides of Frankfurt, with infantry supported by heavy fire from mobile artillery,” he says. After vainly trying to gain a foothold on the western bank of the Oder, they broke into the German defence system, but were later thrown back into the icy river by a German counter-attack.

“The Russians are entrenching themselves on the west hank of the Oder north-west of Kustrin. Considerable forces are concentrated m this area for an imminent offensive.” Marshal Zhukov’s entire northern army, with strong tank support, has opened a new offensive from both sides of Arnswalde to Stettin, according to the German Overseas News Agency. Slight Russian gains were admitted by the agency, and it added there was bitter fighting also near Pyritz. Some Russians who penetrated the town were thrown out. Kustrin Suburbs Entered

A Soviet supplementary communique says that the Russians entered the northern suburbs of Kustrin.

The Paris and Oslo radios, quoting reports from Stockholm, said the Russians have broken into Breslau. The German News Agency also announced that Marshal Koniev has reached Parchwitz, where bitter fighting is in progress. The Russians have captured Deutscheleippe, 30 miles south-east of Breslau.

Marshal Koniev has repulsed all counter-attacks and won still more room in his bridgehead west of the Oder. At one point a German group was allowed to drive in a wedge. Then the Russian pincers closed in and destroyed it.

The thaw has spread to Marshal Koniev's front, where the melting snows- from the Carpathian slopes have transformed the Oder into a ibroad ice-choked stream threatening to carry away the Red Army’s pontoon bridges. Soviet sappers are working continuously blasting icejams with explosives and reinforcing the crossings so that there will be no interruption in the steady flow of troops and equipment into the bridgehead.

NAZI GENERALS TAKEN (10 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. 8. The Soviet Information Bureau named five German generals who were captured after the start of the offensive on January 12, including General Manke, chief of the Department of Air Ministry, and General Westeman, head of the 32nd labour military area. It also named eight generals who were found dead on the battlefields, and also other high officers among the dead and captured.