THRUSTS AT AUSTRIA

Grey River Argus, 2 April 1945, Page 5

THRUSTS AT AUSTRIA

FOUR BY RUSSIANS

Capture of Danzig LONDON, April 1 Marshal Stalin in an order to Marshal Malinovsky said: “Second Ukrainian Front troops, crossed the Rivers Hron and Nitra, broke through the enemy’s defence on the western banks of these rivers, and advanced up to thirty miles. They occupied , the towns of Komarno, Nove-Zamky, Surany, Komjatice, and Vrable —powerful strongholds in the enemy’s defence in the Bratislava direction.”

Komarno is a Slovak town opposite the Hungarian town of Komaron, on the Danube above Budapest. NoveZamky is fifteen miles north, while Surany, Komjatice, and Vrable are north again in the direction of the Slovak frontier. Vrable is barely three miles from the frontier.

(Rec. 7.40). LONDON, • March 31. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent stated: Tolbukhin and Malinovsky are sweeping westward on a front of 250 miles, and developing four key thrusts towards the heart of Austria. Malinovsky’s forces north of the Danube, after breaking through the German Hron and Nitra River lines, are heading for Bratislava Gap.

Marshal Stalin, in orders of the day, reported the occupation of Ratibor and Biskau, large road junctions and powerful strongholds of enemy defence on the left bank of the Oder. Ratibor is a large industrial centre 20 miles northward of Moravska Ostrava. Biskau is 15 miles westward of Ratibor. A second order stated Soviet troops occupied the towns of Kormend, St. Gotthard, and Vasvar. They also southward of Lake Balaton occupied CsurgO. Vasvar is 13 miles northward of Zalaegerszeg, and was occupied on Friday. Kormend is 15 miles north-west of Zalaegerszeg. S’t. Gotthard is 15 miles westward of Kormend, and is situated on the Austrian border, about 40 miles eastward of Graz. A third order said Soviet troops in Czechoslovakia occupied the towns of Nitra and Galanta on th e way to Bratislava, from which Galanta is about 30 miles to the east. (Rec. 7.30) LONDON, April 1.

A Russian communique stated:— Troops of the First White Russian Command on Saturday south-east and west of Kustrin encircled and annihilated between the Oder and Warthe Rivers an important enemy grouping, killing three thousand and taking 3170 prisoners. They captured 64 guns. Russians in the Glogau and Breslau areas continued to fight for destruction of encircled enemy forces. Red Army forces in Austria, southeast of Wiener Neustadt, captured over seventy places, including Weismath, 12 miles south of Wiener, Neustadt, and 40 miles from Vienna; also Kirschslag, eight miles south of Wiesmath. Eight thousand prisoners were taken on Friday, including the commander of a Hungarian army corps, while 50 tanks and 25 planes were destroyed at the front.

Marshal Stalin in an order to Marshal Tolbukhin stated: Tala and Egerszy were captured by our forces. With Bulgarian forces our troops broke the German defence line south of Lake Balaton and advanced 18 miles to capture Nagy Majom and other towns, all powerful German bastions covering the approaches to the oil area of Nagy Kanizsa. The capture of Szombathely severed direct communication between German forces defending approaches to Vienna and an important group holding' the south-west Hungarian oilfields.

Tolbukhin’s tanks entered a lowrange of hills rising just inside the Austrian frontier. They are driving for the Vienna-Italy railway. Germans are hastily massing troops along the Leite River, the last natural barrier before the Austrian capital, in a final desperate endeavour to hold the overwhelming flood of Russian tanks and infantry. A German News Agency commentator said two Red Army bridgeheads on both sides of Kustrin on the west bank of the Oder were linked up into one broad bridgehead.

A Soviet supplementary communique said Baltic Red Fleet planes on Friday in Danzig Bay sank a German destroyer, a 5000-ton transport and some barges. Moscow radio stated Dr Benes had left for Czechoslovakia.

(Rec. 10.30). LONDON, March 31. A Soviet communique said: Troops of the First White Russian Front west and south-west of Kustrin, encircled and wiped out a considerable German garrison which defended an area between the Warthe and Oder rivers. The enemy left 3000 dead on the battlefield, and 3170 Germans were taken prisoner. In the areas of Glogau and Breslau Soviet troops continued to wage fighting for the annihilation of encircled enemy troops. On Friday troops of the Third Ukrainian front took more than 8000'prisoners, including the commander of the Third Hungarian Army Corps. On Friday, on all fronts, 50 enemy tanks were destroyed or disabled, and 25 planes were shot down. CAPTURE OF DANZIG LONDON, March 31 Marshal Stalin confirmed the capture of Danzig with over 10,000 German prisoners. He said: “Troops of the 2nd White Russian Front have completed the rout of the Germans in Danzig and to-day (Friday) captured by storm the town and fortress of Danzig. The national flag of the Polish State has been hoisted over the city. In the fighting for the city, 10,000 German officers and men were captured, and also 140 tanks and self-propelled guns, 358 field guns, and 45 U-boats.”