YUGOSLAV FRONT

Grey River Argus, 15 January 1944, Page 5

YUGOSLAV FRONT

Tito’s Forces HOLD HALF COUNTRY. LONDON, Jan. 13. In a special article circulated by the Associated Press, LieutenantColonel Vladimir Dedier, who has been attached to Marshal Tito’s staff for two and a half-years is now recuperating in Cairo from severe head injuries, stated: “Thirty-six German and satellite divisions are at present doing their utmost on seven fronts to crush the Partisan armies of Jugoslavia. More German divisions are engaged in Jugoslavia than on any other front except Russia'. Although the Partisans are fighting without heavy artillery, anti-aircraft guns or tanks, we carried out an offensive even against the German main bases. On January lof this year we broke through the German defences at Banjaluka, the headquarters of the 2nd German Armoured Corps. This German base was liquidated, 2000 Germans killed, and several hundred captured. When the ta'sk was accompilighed the Partisans withdrew as the town could not be defended against the new German tank divisions. “This victory was achieved entirely with armaments captured from the enemy. When the people rose three years ago against Hitler only very tenth man had a shotgun or an out-dated rifle. There were many fighting, women in the front line in the assault against Banjaluka, some of whom were expert with handgrenades. Women also hold certain commands. Our liberated territory is now more than half of Jugoslavia. Our army has increased from 100,000 to 300,000. Our peoples, the Serbs Croats, Slovenes, Macedonians and Montenegrins, at the finish of our war of independence, will form a free democratic Federal State in accordance with the Atlantic Charter, allowing all free people the right to choose their own form of Government at free elections. For this principle our peoples have spilled rivers of blood and are still fighting today.’’ .