DNIEPER BATTLES

Grey River Argus, 19 October 1943, Page 5

DNIEPER BATTLES

ENEMY DESPERATE RUSSIANS EXPECTANT Kiev and Melitopol Struggles LONDON, Oct. 17. The Red Army, is beating back furious German attacks along the 400-mile Dnieper line. Correspondents saj r that the Germans west of the river are throwing in whole divisions, and their losses are mounting hourly. The main weight of the fighting in Russia is still in the south, between the Dnieper Bend and the Sea of Azov. One correspondent says that the Germans counter-attacks along the Middle and Lower Dnieper are “of incredible fury, born of desperation.” The Germans realise that on these battles depends the fate of the Dnieper Line and with it the fate of all 'the German armies in Southern Russia.

Both sides are throwing in as many troops as possible of the maximum amount of material in order to deploy on the wide front around the bridgeheads north and south of Kiev and south-west of Kremenchug. KREMENCHUG AREA. RUSSIAN BREAK-THROUGH AT DNIEPER BEND. (Rec. 8.10) LONDON, Oct. 18. The “Daily Telegraph” comments: The whole German forces in ths area of the great. Dnieper Bend are in peril as a result of a Russian break-through in the vital Kremenchug sector. This is one of the, Russians most important successes since opening their offensive. German forces have been fighting desperately to hold back the Red Army at Kremenchug. The German position there not only covered the Dnieper Bend, but was also necessarj' to the Germans in trying to keep closed their eastern gate to the Crimea in the Melitopol and Zaporozhe area. A Soviet communique stated: Russian forces on the right bank of the Dnieper south-east of Kremenchug penetra'ted strongly-fortified defences on a' front of 27 miles wide and 15 miles deep, and captured a number of centres of resistance. Russians extended bridgeheads. The German News Agency tonight reported large-scale Russian attempts to break through the German lines along the 20-mile front north-west of Dnepropetrovsk. The Agency said that the Russians yesterday threw in 15 rifle divisions and 20 tanks, supported by over 200 artillery batteries, also powerful fighter formations, but did not achieve a break-through. It added to the losses on both sides, which were heavy. The British United Press says the most murderous 1 hand-to-hand street lighting since the days ot Stalingrari are going on day and night in Melitopol. Moscow radio said: A battle for Melitopol, the last railway junction held bv the Germans on the line north from the Crimea, is being fought street by street, and house oy house. German resistance is being worn down by ceaseless Russian attacks. Losses on both sides are high. Yesterday the Russians in Melitopol drove back repeated thrusts by fresh German columns. The town is also threatened by other Russian forces driving south down the railway from Zaporozhe. A Soviet communique stated: Russian forces continued fighting in Melitopol after repelling enemy counterattacks. The enemy, as in the previous days, suffered enormous losses of manpower and equipment. Another report stated that the Germans in Melitopol have heavily reinforced, are still resting with fanatical fury. They are being steadily worn down. CAPTURE OF ZAPOROZHE. BY THE RUSSIANS. ENEMY BLOWS UP THE DAM. LONDON, Oct. 17. Berlin radio says: The German forces evacuated Zaporozhe after several Russian attacks had been beaten off in bloody fighting. The German Command during the afternoon of October 14 withdrew its heavy weapons, all vehicles and great quantities of other war material to the western bank of the river. German sappers simultaneously prepared to blow up all the bridges. The bulk of the troops, covered by rearguards, took up positions on the western bank by nightfall. Then the great dam was blown up. The last German forces withdrew during the night to the new German front line. Correspondents with the Red Army stated Zaporozhe was occupied after an offensive lasting five days. A Moscow “Izvestia” correspondent stated: “As victorious Russians entered Zaporozhe buildings were collapsing and whole streets were ablaze. The town was a sea of flames and, the streets were littered with the bodies of German soldiers. The Russians mercilessly killed all those refusing to surrender.” Moscow radio, describing fortifications which the Russians overcame before they actually stormed the town says: “There were two main lines of defence. The outer ring consisted of a deep, wide anti-tank ditch in an arc round the town, the approaches of which were lined with mines. Behind the mines were trenches, i’he defence line was pitted with pillboxes and dugouts. German artillery covered the whole area. The night sky glowed crimson over the battle scene as the Germans flung in all their resources in determined counter-attacks sometimes with 100 tanks, but the German positions finally crumbled before a simultaneous assault from the north, from the east and from the south.” A Soviet Communique stated: South of Zaporozhe the Russians captured several places, including the Popove railway station. The mining and communications centre of Nikopol, on the west bank of the Dnieper below Zaporozhe, was bombed by the Red Air Force on Friday night for the third night running. Troop trains and ammunition dumps were blown up. FEROCIOUS MELITOPOL FIGHTING. (Rec. 12.17) . LONDON,-. Oct. 18. “Pravd.a” reports: Russian forces captured the centre of Melitopol. The Germans are heavily counterattacking. These street battles remain most ferocious. German forces here are being literally ground to death. Between piles of German bodies one finds soldiers who a short while ago fought on the shores of Kerch Strait. They saved their skins in the Taman only to die in Melitopol. One officer said he had not previously seen so many dead Germans. KIEV BATTLE UNABATED (Rec. 12.17) LONDON, Oct. 18. According to the Vichy radio a great battle for Kiev continues unabated. Both sides are throwing in powerful reinforcements. Attacks

and counter-attacks alternate ceaselessly. A Soviet communique stated: North of Kiev the Germans have delivered counter-attacks. These were repulsed and the improved their positions. , , , Moscow '“Pravda” said: Kiev holds as bitter a fate as Stalingrad for the Germans, and the encirclement of all the Germans in the city area is now a definite possibility. 'Phe British United Press reported: Russian forces, by penetrating t. centre of the German line before Kiev, succeeded in frustrating stiff German counter-attacks. Another report stated: The fiercest fighting is-occurring north and south of Kiev, where the Germans have switched big reserves. Front-line despatches state that the battles here are comparable only to the clash when Hitler launched his offensive in the By’elgorod and Orel sectors three months ago. The German Command is doing its utmost to halt vae Russian drive. The German shock troops are no longer numoered in regiments but divisions. RUSSIANS EXPECTANT (Rec. 12.17) LONDON. Oct. 18. Moscow “Pravda” indicated that the Russians’ view is that the battle will soon turn in their favour. In the article it states; The hour is near when Kiev will again be ours. CROSSING BELOW GOMEL (Rec. 12.17) LONDON, Oct. 18. The Red Army south of Gomel successfully! crossed tne Dnieper and ’penetrated the defences over an area 118 h miles wide arid three to seven I miles deep, and occupied the town of i Loyev. Moscow “Pravda’ stated: Russian forces struggled for a fortnight before forcing a crossing of the Dnieper south of Gomel, which was reported last night in a communique. The Germans threw in divisions from France, Poland and Denmark in an attempt to seal off the first Russian penetration. Both sides put up withering artillery barrages. Finally Russian forces broke through on a wide ■ front. Infantry and tanks stormed the breach under a strong air cover- . ■ 8

In yesterday’s fighting in the Gomel area, at the southern end of the White Russian front, German coun-ter-attacks broke down with heaw losses. The Russians again improved their positions.