RIGA DOOMED

Grey River Argus, 27 September 1944, Page 5

RIGA DOOMED

GERMAN EFFORTS To Evacuate Baltic States LONDON, September 25. , Maslennikov’s troops, who yesteiday seized Volmar, have advanced to the Gulf of Riga, and are merging with Govorov s Estonian Army, which has completely liberated the first Baltic Republic. They are preparing for an assault on Riga. Russians in Western and Southern Estonia captured the last port remaining to the enemy, Haapsalu, 55 miles south-west of Tallinn, and Hoisekul, 32 miles east-south-east oi Parnu, besides over 800 other places. Russians on the west of Rukja’ and Volmar captured 200 places and also occupied Jaunkipene, 38 miles east of Riga. The Russians south-east and south of Sanok, after overcoming fortifications in wooded mountainous country captured 50 places. Moscow Pravda stated the days of the Germans in the Baltic Republics were numbered. The advance to the Gulf of Riga was so swift that German calculations for the prolonged defence of the coast were upset. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says:—“The fall of Riga is only a matter of days. Large German forces are now concentrating in the Estonian Islands of Vorms, Dago and Osel, which are almost close to the entrance of the Gulf of Riga. In the attempt to drag the Battle of the Baltic out to the bitter end, the Germans lost practically the whole of Estonia, but as long as they hold these islands in the Gulf of Finland, Riga will still be under their control. They may also try to evacuate remnants of troops from the mainland to one or other of these islands. It is expected the struggle for the islands will be bitter, as the Russians do not intend to leave them in the enemy’s hands. Von Hammer stated that 1000 Russian tanks are concentrated west of Jelgava to be thrown into the great break-through to the Gulf of Riga. Finns advanced in Northern Finland and captured Suomussalmi. Russian and Roumanian forces crossed the frontier of Hungary and Transylvania near Arad, where the stiffest battle yet is raging at th e railway junction of Arad, 15 miles from the border. Germans and the Hungarians have thrown in fresh divisions in an effort to check the Russians. General Bori in a communique reports that Warsaw, which was the first city the Germans bombed when in 1939 they marched into Poland, is now living through another shattering bombardment, this time from Russian guns.. Germans have mounted guns on railway! wagons from which they are maintaining a harassing fire against the Partisans’ positions. The situation in. Warsaw is unchanged. Soviet liaison officers are co-operating with the Polish Underground Army in three main areas of Polish resistance in Warsaw. Increased enemy movements have been observed near Wilanow, and units of the 2nd Polish Infantry Division are engaged in relentless fighting in the Kielce area. In the Radom area the enemy is deporting the male population and mass requisitioning cattle. The Germans are massing in the Tarnow Jaslo area.

Moscow correspondents say the territorial situation around Warsaw shows no vital change, except in the southern districts of the city* where Germans have withdrawn from their front lines.

Warsaw Wiped Out THE POLES OVERCOME (Rec. 5.5) LONDON, Sept. 25 “Warsaw has ceased to exist. It has been obliterated as no other town has ever been,” said a German News Agency war reporter over the Berlin radio. “The last nest of resistance in the city, which stretched over a few hundred yards along the north bank of the Vistula, has been silenced. Russian troops, who penetrated the Praga district, came too late . to prevent a collapse of the rising inside of the city. With this rising, Warsaw itself, has died. The city is nothing but a heap of rubble. The Germans mowed ■ down Russian reliel forces which approached in assault boats, and the San bridge, across tht Vistula, is again in German hanus. Although the Russians’ attempt to build a bridge across the Vistula has failed, they are going to try it again.