BATTLES IN POLAND

Grey River Argus, 11 September 1944, Page 5

BATTLES IN POLAND

NAREW CANNONADE ;. By the Russians 'HARDER GOING TOWARDS EAST PRUSSIA. [Aus. & NZ. Pr«» Assn.l (Rec. 7.10) LONDON, Sep.v. 9. A Reuter’s -correspondent at Moscow stated: Thousands of Russian guns roared a mighty cannonade on Friday as the Red Army proceeded with a reduction of German defences on the Narew River, barring direct roads to East Prussia. Latest re T ports say Russian forces, overcoming savage- resistance have been steadily gaining ground on the east bank or the Narew, apparently above Ostroteka. A Red Army advance southwest of Lomza in the direction of East Prussia has been slowed up, but not checked, as the result of German counter-attacks. They were supported by tanks and planes. Russian patrols in the area of the Sesupa River, between Lithuania and East Prussia, crossed the frontier into East Prussia. They returned with prisoners. The German News Agency reports: Russian forces have been continuing attacks between the San and the Vistula Rivers. In his mam thrust against Krasno, the enemy threw in powerful formations, and succeeded locally in breaching German lines, but German grenadiers were able to limit the breach, and they now are counter-attacking. Berlin radio declared Russians, using thirty divisions in attempting to cross the Narew on a comparatively small front, gained some ground in the past six days, but German resistance in depth is holding up the Red' Army. Reuter stated: Bitter battles on General Zakharov’s front have reverted to powerful forces on both sides manoeuvring for position. Heavy artillery duels are progressing across the Narew River, twenty miles south-west of Lomza, where German batteries are attempting to make the town of Ostroteka untenable. Moscow radio announced that forty-one German generals have been captured since the beginning of the Russian summer offensive.

Poles in Warsaw REPORTED OVERCOME LONDON, Sept. 10. The Germans claim to have smashed Polish resistance in Warsaw.... Von Hammer said: “When the insurrection in Warsaw collapsed the insurgents north of the city also laid down their arms and surrendered unconditionally.” A Polish spokesman said the Warsaw position was a serious one. WARSAW POLES STILL FIGHTING (Rec. 10.0) LONDON, Sept. 10. Saturday’s communique from General Bor, leader of the Polish Home Army, reports: In the centre of Warsaw, there is no slackening in the pressure from the enemy from the direction of the old town and the west bank of the Vistula. In the suburb, Zoliborz, the initiative remains With the Poles. The enemy continue terror shelling and bombing. In one region Hungarian troops and Ukrainian conscripts are replacing Germans.

Russians in Bulgaria A NEW GOVERNMENT TO MAKE WAR ON GERMANY (Rec. S. 10) LONDON, Sept. 9. Sofia radio announced that a new Bulgarian Government had been formed. It is headed by M. Georgiev. General Marinov, a former Minister of War, has been appointed as Commander-in-Chief of Bulgarian troops in war against Germany, which began at 6 a.m. on Friday. The Soviet has agreed to an armistice for Bulgaria, following the war declaration against Germany. Bulgarian troops have been ordered to help Russian forces who have entered the country and advanced forty miles at one point and occupied the Black Sea port of Varna and other Important itowns and villages. . A Soviet communique stated: the Red Army crossed the RumanianBulgarian frontier in the sector between Giurgiu and Nang,alia, advanced between 19 and 60 miles, and occupied Rusek (also called Rusa), Silistra and the port of Varna, also a large number of .inhabited localities. The Bulgarians did not resist the Red Army.

A Moscow correspondent of the 'British Associated Press says:. Bulgaria’s outright participation in war against Germany has turned~approximately one-third of the total area of the Balkahs into Allied territory. It has transformed German withdrawals from southern Yugoslavia, Albania, Greece and the Aegean Islands into a desperate action which might end in a final disaster for Germany at any moment. It is believ* ed that the Germans will, however, leave some troops at Crete and scattered .among the Aegean Islands as suicide garrisons, similar to those left behind at the French ports. Their mission vTould be to delay as long as possible a link-up of Allied sea power between the Mediterranean and Black Sea. General Tolbuk, Commander of the Russian Army which has entered Bulgaria, in a proclamation to the people said: “We come as a friend, not an enemy. Nobody need fear. We come to chase the Ger--1 mans,” An Istanbul correspondent of the British Associated Press stated: It is reported that M. Filoff, the former Bulgarian Prime Minister, and other 'Bulgarian personalities who are proGerman, have fled to Germany. S'ofia radio confirmed a German News Agency 1 statement that the Bulgarian Regents, Prince Cyril and M. Mikhoff, have been denosed.

NEW BULGARIAN REGIME (Rec. 10.10) LONDON, Sept. 10. The Bulgarian radio stated: The Bulgarian Government appointed a delegation to contact General Tolbukhin and complete .armistice negotiations and arrange Russian-Bulgar-ian measures against. Germany. All Bulgarian Cabinet Ministers who signed the German-Bulgarian Pact in 1941 will be imprisoned. All laws against the interests of the people have been repealed. Pro-Axis newspapers have been banned. M. Wenelin Ganeff and M. Touor Pavlov have been appointed Regents, replacing Prince Cyril Mikhoff. Patriotic demonstrations were held throughout Sofia last night. Hundreds of red flags were hoisted. A Reuter Balkans observer says.-' The new Bulgarian Government is a coalition of Republican officers,. Agrarians,. Socialists, Communists, and members of radical co-operative parties. M. Ganeff is a distinguished scholar, without any political, background.’" M. Pavlov is a veteran Communist who has undergone long periods of imprisonment.