RUSSIANS CAPTURE SCHLUSSELBURG FORTRESS

Grey River Argus, 20 January 1943, Page 5

RUSSIANS CAPTURE SCHLUSSELBURG FORTRESS

RUSSIANS TAKE SCHLUSSELBURG. [Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] LONDON, Jan. IS. It is officially announced from Moscow that Russians have captured Schlusselburg and lifted the siege on Leningrad. Red Army forces crossed the Neva and advanced 45 miles according to reliable sources. A Soviet communique stated: A few days ago, Russian forces south of Lake Ladoga started an offensive against the enemy who blockaded Leningrad. Our troops had the task of destroying enemy fortifications and smashing the blockade. The Germans had erected strongly fortified zones with many concrete fortifications ana a great number of anti-tank and infantry obstacles. The Russians launched the offensive from two directions, —from the western bank ol the Neva against Schlusselburg an from' the west of the area south ol Lake Ladoga. Our troops broke the enemy defence zone about nine miles deep, crossed the Neva, and in seven days of stubborn fighting occupied Schlusselburg. Our troops also occupied a number of: workers’ settlements and the railway station of Sinyavino (south of Schlusselburg;. After seven days’ fierce fighting, our troops on the Volkhov front and on the Leningrad front joined on January 18 and smashed th e blockade ol Leningrad In the course of these operations, four German infantry divisions, two infantry regiments, motorised detachments, and part cm another German division, had bqgn routed. According to incomplete figures, 1,261 enemy officers and men were taken prisoner. The enemv left on the battlefield thirteen thousand corpses.’’ ' JUBILATION IN RUSSIA. AT RELEF OF LENINGRAD. (Rec. 12.40.) LONDON, Jan. 17. A Moscow message stated that news of Leningrad’s relief caused tremendous jubilation. The communique announcing the great tidings was relayed’ through public loudspeaker systems in every city and town in the Soviet Union. Trainliads of food and arms are already being rushed to Leningrad. Effect bf Breach in enemy Lines before LENINGRAD. (Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. jlo. A remarkable series of Russian victories which has continued for two months and repeatedly providea the world with amazing surprises has been crowned by the relief of Leningrad after sixteen months of an investment by the enemy. The Russian High Command maintained i-e same silence over the Leningrad offensive as over other mighty Plows until the outcome was certain. The Germans had for days been referring to the Russian offensive on the Neva River. A stop breach has now' been driven into the German lines. It will not merely relieve the heroic Leningrad garrison and citizens, who have tenaciously resisted in spite or many shortages, but also will sever a direct land link between Germany and Finland'. Hitler ordered that Leningrad, be taken by storm on August 21, 1941. The Germans from three directions hurled in thirty-two divisions, four tank and four motorised divisions, and a cavalry brigade. The army numbered three hundred thousand, and the equipment comprised six thousand field guns, nineteen thousand machine-guns, 4500 trench mortars, a thousand tanks and a fleet of a thousand planes

FURTHER PROGRESS ON SOUTHERN FRONTS Trapped Enemy Forces Bern? Decimated