GUERRILLAS' TINE WORK

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXIV, Issue 39, 14 January 1944, Page 5

GUERRILLAS' TINE WORK

ENEMY AMBUSHED.

(Rec. 11.40 a.m.) LONDON, Jan. 13 The Russian forces advancing on Mozyr are pushing through the heart of the Pripet Marshes. Router's Moscow correspondent says that the Russians have reached the inner defence ring, which is between five and seven miles deep, around Mozyr. Tense fighting is going on, with Russian planes bombing the Germans in dug-outs and trenches. Tho Stockholm Dagens Nyhetcr's Berlin correspondent says that military circles in Berlin admit that the Russians have smashed through the German linos in the Vitebsk area and arc now fighting in the German rear, attacking with 2G divisions north and south of Vitebsk. The British United Press's Moscow correspondent says that Ukrainian guerrillas, co-operating with General Vatutin's men, were largely responsible for the capture of Sarny. The country between Olevsk and Bovno is among the wildest anywhere in Europe. It is composed of great forests interspersed with almost roadless swamps—ideal for guerrilla operations. When General Vatutin burst across the Polish border the guerrillas massed in the Rovno forests until two long columns of German infantry and tanks rolled eastwawls with the object of reinforcing the garrison at Sarny. The guerrillas ambushed tha enemy columns and launched a full-scale attack. They pinned down the Germans in one of the heaviest battles the guerrmas have ever fought. The Germans tried to disengage, but ' the guerrillas clung to them until regular Red Army units arrived. The enemy columns were wiped out, and the aid which the Sarny garrison was awaiting never arrived. Red Army tanks after smashing through Sarny continued along the road west of the town, which is parallel to the one on which the Germans were retiring. ' Russian tankmen poured a hail of fire into the German columns until they were wiped out.