FRENZIED GERMANS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXIV, Issue 39, 14 January 1944, Page 2

FRENZIED GERMANS

3.45 P.M. EDITION

COUNTER-ATTACKS FAIL

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright.) (1.25 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 13. The Germans are still making frenzied counter-attacks east of Vinnitsa but are being forced back more and more northwards, where General Vatutin's men are only 13 miles north-east of Shepetovka, which is the main gateway to South Poland. Moscow military commentators declare that this area is more important than Sarny. Reuter's correspondent describes the savage fighting east of Vinnitsa as a battle of guns versus tanks. Von Mannstein has mustered all his available tanks in a determined effort to halt the Russians, but General Vatutin has assembled powerful concentrations of artillery winch won the final _ battle of the Kievbulge at Jitomir. Fierce sea engagements are going on in the Kerch Straits, where storms have been raging for the past few days. The Scandinavian Telegraph Bureau states that the Red Army today penetrated German positions west of Mozyr and breached the town's defences at several points. (The Red Armv operating west of Mozyr means that the town has been outflanked.) To-night's Soviet communique snys: Troops of the White Russian Front under General Rokossovsky developed their offensive and occupied more than 40 inhabited places, including Dudichi, 10 miles north of Mozyr. The Russians closely approached the region centre of White Russia, Mozyr, and the large rail junction of Klenkovichi. The Russians west and south-west of Sarny captured several localities and a number of railway stations, including Tutovichi, 'lO miles west of Sarnv West and south-west of Novograd Volynsk they captured over 60 places, including Korets, 40 miles east of Rovno and also the railway station at Maidanvila, 13 miles north-east of Shepetovka. The Red Army west and south-west of Berdichev fought offensive battles and occupied several localities. East of Vinnitsa it repelled strong counter-attacks. HOW ALLIES HELP RUSSIA.

According io the Official Wireless, the United States Minister of War . (Mr Stimson) said that the Soviet army had been aided in its successes in the offensive in Eastern Europe by the British, French, and United States troops fighting in Italy, by the partisans in occupied territories, and by the air offensive over Germany, as well as by the threat of invasion of Western Europe and the steady flow of supplies to Russia from the Allies. Mr Stimson pave a warning that there wore no indications of a general deterioration of German resistance. "The Germans seem to be retreating in good order and their army is relatively intact. The Germans have made no attempt to conceal the gravity of their* situation. It may even be exaggerated for purposes which arc not clear."