GERMAN ATTACKS

Grey River Argus, 19 August 1944, Page 5

GERMAN ATTACKS

ON EASTERN FRONT j. .A, . . In Several Sectors LAus. & N.Z Press Assn 1 LONDON, August 17. In several sectors of the front tne Germans have launched strong coun-ter-attacks and have regained some ground east-north-east of Warsaw, where the Russians have abandoned a town seven miles from the Folisn capital. The Russians are reported to have repelled powerful counter-attacns near Raseiniai, on the Kaunas-Memel route, and also in the Carpathian foothills.

Moscow “Red Star” says that German reinforcements have arrivea from Norway, Italy and Roumania. The Germans are attacking with stubbornness in an effort to gain tim e to consolidate the approaches to East Prussia and the heart of Poland. Reuter’s correspondent in Moscow reports that German reinforcements although suffering losses while on tne way to the front, are big enough to put the Russians at present on the defensive in the Warsaw and Carpathian sectors. The situation of the Poles fighting in Warsaw is extremely difficult. The Germans have three elite Panzer aivisions there —S.S. Death’s Head, tne S.S. Viking and the Hermann Goering —and an early Russian assault on tne city cannot be expected. Some help is, however, being sent to the Polisn garrison. 8.0.W. RUGBY, August 17. Strong German counter-attacks m the Baltic region, near Warsaw, and in the south have so far been almost uniformly unsuccessful. Since regaining. Ossow, seven miles north-east of Warsaw, yesterday, the Germans, according to a Moscow message, have launched a new avalanche of Tigers and Ferdinands and are keeping up the pressure at heavy cost. The Russians are absorbing these blows skilfully and are preparing to strike back. ~ Moscow correspondents say that for the third day in succession a mammoth armoured struggle is raging east of Warsaw as the Germans maintain the most powerful and most sustained effort they have put in since the opening of the ived Army Summer offensive.

Reuter reports the Germans are making a full scale effort partially to restore the situation. Russian antitank guns and field guns thus tar stemmed repeated German onslaughts with the exception of a wedge tne enemy has driven in the Ossow sector. Reports leave no doubt of the bitterness of the armoured grapple, which the Germans appear, to have planned with a more far-reaching aim than just pushing the Red Army from Warsaw’s immediate approaches. The British United Press correspondent says: Crack S.S. Grenadiers are still streaming eastward across the Vistula from the centre of Warsaw. Russians on each bank of tne Vistula have the situation well under control. The Red Army is exerting pressure against the flanks of tne German wedge at Ossow.

RUSSIANS ON EAST PRUSSIAN BORDER LONDON, August 17. Apart from the loss of ground near Warsaw the Red Army is stated to retain the initiative and is methodically mopping up strongpoints left by the advancing spearheads all along the front. In the 11 days since tne enemy started, counter-attacking tne Russians have occupied 3,220 places, including 1,820 in-the Baltic region. Continuing their westward drive, along the Latvian and Estonian border, the Russians are now witmn 14 miles of Walga. The Russians reached the Last Prussian border north-west of Marijampilis This was announced, in to-night’s Soviet communique, whicn says that Russians west and north ot Pechori captured 150 places, including the railway station of Rusa, 20 miles north-west of Pechori, on tne Pechori-Tartu railway, and that west north-west and south-west of Siauliai they engaged in stubborn battles against large forces, of infantry and tanks which had gone over to the oifensive Russians in the Siauliai sector inflicted heavy losses against the attacking enemy. The Red Army north-west of Marijampilis reached the frontier of East Prussia at the Sesupa River and occupied over thirty inhabited localities. Russians east of Praga repelled tank and infantry attacks. Russians west of Sandomierz fought for tne enlargement of the bridgehead on the west bank of the River Vistula, captured 20 places, and continued street fighting in Sandomierz.