Gates To The West Thrown Wide Open By New Success

Northern Advocate, 27 September 1943, Page 3

Gates To The West Thrown Wide Open By New Success

Rec. 11 a.m.)

LONDON, Sept. 26,

With Smolensk, the Germans’ greatest communication base on the central front over-run and according to the newspaper “Moscow News,” The German plunderers already fleeing from Kiev like rats from a sinking ship,” the Red Army is already able to turn the Dnieper from a defence barrier into a springboard for further offensive movement. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says that small bridgeheads are believed to have been established on the west bank of the Dnieper between Kiev and Dnepropetrovsk. The main Russian forces are trying to extend and ponsolidate these bridgeheads in the face of the fiercest artillery and mortar barrage. Russian paratroops have landed at the rear of the German lines on the middle Dnieper, according to the German News Agency, which adds:: “The Russians are throwing not only divisions but whole armies into the fight which is a battle of material on a gigantic scale.” Moscow radio, summing up the effect of the lasest Russian successes says: “The gates to the west have been thrown wide open.” Path Of Retreat Smolensk area is a lurid example of German tactics in creating a dead zone in the path of their retreat, states a Moscow message. One of hie most serious effects is the destruction of a large section of the modern MoscowMinsk highway, mile by mile, as the Germans retired. One of the innnumerable craters which the Gei-mans left is 27 feet deep with a diameter of over 140 feet. Thousands of Germans perished in the Dnieper when Soviet mobile artillery suddenly approached and shelled Solovievsky bridge at short range. Trapped between fire and water the Germans vainly sought shelter behind trucks and guns. Others ended the horror by hurling themselves into the river. Soviet bombers and Stormoviks completed the annihilation. Continue Offensive A Soviet communique reports continued offensives with advances on all sectors and the capture of more than 800 localities during September 26. In the Kuban, Soviet troops continue the offensive and occupied several localities.

In the. Dnepropetrovsk direction, the Russians, overcoming enemy resistance, have reached the Dnieper. In Kremenchug direction the Russians have advanced six to 9i miles and are occupying 70 localities. In some sectors here and in the Kiev direction they have reached the Dnieper.

In Gomel direction they have advanced seven to 11 miles and are occupying a town and the railway junction of Nogozybkov, setting free 300 other localities. Soviet troops also advanced 9A to 16 miles towards Mogilev and occupied over 250 localities. In Vitebsk direction they advanced in some sectors four to seven miles and occupied over 200 localities. On September 25 the Russians on all sectors destroyed or damaged 40 tanks. In aerial engagements and by antiaircraft fire, 28 German planes were shot down.