NEW OFFENSIVE

Grey River Argus, 4 December 1943, Page 5

NEW OFFENSIVE

BY RED ARMY On White Russia Front [Aust. & N.Z. Press Assn.] LONDON, Dec. 2. Moscow press despatches state Russian forces threaten to turn the German line in White Russia from north and south, launching attacks against Mohilev, Orsha and Vitebsk, the success of which would turn the German line from the north. The German News Agency’s commentator (von Hammer) says: “West from Smolensk to Orsha Russian forces have carried out a super.offensive with 27 rifle divisions, fivearmoured brigades and 200 tanks. We have sealed off local penetrations. The fighting is really at its heaviest in this sector.” Correspondents in Moscow say the Red Army’s path to Jlobin nas been opened up by capture of one of one of three key positions barring the carridor between the'Dnieper and the Soj. General Rokossovsky said to “Red Star”: “We have captured the impregnable fortress.” General von Kluge’s troops are battling grimly to prevent General Rokossovsky’s forces taking Jlobin and Bobruisk, and thereby turning the Germans’ southern defences. RUSSIANS NEARER SMOLENSK. ■ LONDON. Dec. 3. A Soviet communique on Thursday night stated: Russian forces in the Cherkasy area repellad tank and infantry attacks, and inflicted heavy losses. The Red Army south-west of Kermenchug, overcoming strong counter-attacks, forged ahead, and occupied a number of strongly fortified points of resistance, including Dimtrovka, six miles north-east of Snamenka.

Russian Progress NORTH EAST OF GOMEL. (Rec. 11.10.); LONDON, Dec. 3. Thursday night’s Soviet communique stated: Red Army forces between the Soj and Dnieper Rivers, northwest of Gomel, continued to advance and occupied over eight inhabited places. In the Pripet River area Russian forces occupied nine places. Enemv reports say battles are raging on both sides of the SmolenskOrsha highway in the direction of Orsha.

RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE GROWS ON WHITE RUSSIA FRONT (Rec. 12.5) LONDON, Dec. 3. Paris radio says: Fighting is mounting in intensity west ot Smolensk, where a quarter ot a million Russian troops are launching massive attacks against Gelman positions east of Orsha. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says: The Germans are likely to have lost Dovsk, the road pivot ot their White Russian front. Red Army forces have reached Starydovy’k, three miles north of Dovsk, from which roads radiate to Mohilev; Proproisk and Rogachev. The Russian offensive on the entire White Russian front 'has (gained momentum in the last 24 hours. GERMAN DEFENSIVE FIGHTING. LONDON, Dec. 3. Paris radio states: The Germans between the Pripet and Beresina Rivers are engaging in heavy defensive fighting. They already have eliminated several wedges which the Russians had earlier driven into their lives. KEM'ENCHUG SECTOR. LONDON, Dec. 2. Moscow radio stated that the Red Army penetrated enemy defences, surging forward, capturing one locality after another, south-east of Kremenchug (north .oi the Dnieper Bend). Fast-moving troops were striking at the fleeing Germans and not giving them time to recover. (The fighting is unceasing and has grown in violence with the improved weather. Large air forces are in action on either side. The Germans are suffering enormous losses. The Red Army is within four miles of Snamenska. Von Hammer admits that the Germans, under Russian pressure at .one point, have withdrawn the'.r line a few miles. RUSSIAN PRESSURE IN SOUTH. LONDON, Dec. 3. Reuter’s Moscow 1 correspondent states: The Germans are waging a grim struggle to retain the Dnieper bridge-head and the town of Cherkasy. Russian forces . are gravely threatening Snamenka. The latest reports state Russian forces are omy three miles north of this vital railway junction between Kiev and t-ie Black Sea.

Kiev Salient ENEMY ATTACK DIES DOWN. LONDON, Dec. 2. The Berlin radio quoting Berlin military quarters, states: Bad weather conditions, which plotted out roads and made advances impossible have melted down the German offensive against the Kiev salient. It added that on Wednesday, tight, ing in the Kiev and Korosten area was on a reduced scale and no majoi fighting was reported from the Jito-mir-Kiev region. DRIVE AT KIEV. INTENSIFIED BY GERMANS. (Rec. 10.40.) LONDON, Dec 3. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent late on Thursday night reported.—l he Germans have massed new tank 101mations, and they are making fresh and determined* efforts to the Russian lines protecting K-ev. The main enemy pressure is at pre sent coming from Korosten. He adds: “The Germans are believed to have concentrated two thousand tanks between Korosten. Bitter fighting he s ahead. MONSTER GERMAN PLANE. LONDON, Dec. 2. The Germans are using the largest land-based plane in the world on the Eastern Front, according to a Gelman war reporter’s statement over the Berlin radio. Tneir Junkers 52 transport plane can be hidden under .one wing of this Messerschmitt monster,'and yet the new plane has greater speed .than the Junkers 02, despite its great load. The Messer, schmitt’s enormous hull can carry assault guns, tanks and fully-laden trucks Ett is fully, armed against fighter attack, and on its'return journeys can accommodate 130 wounded soldiers.