DRIVE FOR KIEV

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24758, 4 December 1943, Page 7

DRIVE FOR KIEV

NEW GERMAN BLOWS 2000 TANKS CONCENTRATED (Reed. 0.80 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 3 Renter's .Moscow correspondent reports that the Germans have massed new tank formations and are making fresh and determined efforts to penetrate the Russian lines protecting Kiev. The main pressure at present is coming from Korosten. The Germans are believed to have concentrated 2000 tanks between Brusilov and Korosten. Bitter fighting lies ahead. The Berlin radio, quoting Berlin military quarters, stated earlier that had weather which had blotted outroads and made advances impossible, had melted down the German offensive against the Kiev salient. The radio added: "Fighting in the Kiev-Korosten area was reduced in scale." HUGE LAND PLANE GERMANS CLAIM RECORD (Reed. 5.35 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 2 The Germans are using the biggest land-based plane in the world on the Eastern Front, according to a statement made by a German war reporter over the Berlin radio. He said: — " The Junkers 52 transport plane can be hidden under one wing of this Messerschmitt monster, and yet the new plane has greater speed than the Junkers 52, in spite of its great load. The Messerschniitt's enormous hull can carry assault guns, tanks and fullyladen trucks. It is fully armed against fighter attack and on the return journeys can accommodate 130 wounded soldiers."

RENEGADE ENGLISHMEN CLOSE GALL IN BERLIN (Reed. 5.35 p.m.) LONDON, Dee. 2 An air raid warden in Berlin lighting a fire in the basement of tiie Berlin Press Club after a raid was amazed to hear a near by fire-fighter exchange a few words in English with another firelighter, reports Sehroeder, chief correspondent of the German overseas news service. The warden, refusing to listen to explanations, dragged the firefighters to a police station, Gorman crowds en route, hearing .a rumour that Englishmen had been found in a house from which they were trying to signal to the raiders, gathered stones and were restrained with difficulty from _ lynching the suspects. Scliroeder said that the affair was quickly settled at the police station, because those arrested were an' English Fascist, who is a German radio announcer, and an official of the German Foreign Affairs Ministry. Ueuter says the only British radio announcers known to be on the German radio are William Joyce, alias "Lord Hawhaw," and Baillie Stewart, "the officer jn the Tower," a former member of the British Union of Fascists. CLASHES IN GERMANY LONDON, Dec. 2 Serious disturbances broke out in Berlin on Sunday and Monday when workers protested against being called up for clearing the raid damage in factories' while they were still busy rescuing their own. belongings, says the Stockholm newspaper Afton Tidningen. Several buildings were set on fire, as a protest. The newspaper credits the report to the secret German radio. Leaflets were found in Berlin streets inscribed "Peace is the best air defence." The Cairo radio reports that clashes have occurred in Cologne, Essen. Dusseldorf and Hamburg in the past few days between police and demonstrators. A number of people have been killed.' The Eire Legation in Berlin was destroyed in the raid on the night of November 22, says a Dublin message. Mr. Warnock, the Eire Charge d'Affaires, is safe, RAIDERS OVER ENGLAND LONDON, Dee. 2 Anti-aircraft'fire shot down an enemy plane that crossed the south-east coast of England for a few minutes this morning. There was slight enemy activity last night over East Anglia and South-east England, including the London area. Bombs -were dropped at scattered points. Little damage and few caeualties are reported.