KRIVOI ROG DRIVE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24825, 23 February 1944, Page 5

KRIVOI ROG DRIVE

FIGHTING IN OUTSKIRTS

SOVIET FORCES CLOSING !N (Reed. 11.30 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 22

The Russians have been steadily closing in on the great iron ore city of Krivoi Rog from three sides and yesterday they launched simultaneous attacks on a railway station five miles to the north-east and a town three miles to the south. They captured both places and by dusk last evening were fighting on the fringes of Krivoi Rog itself. The Germans made desperate efforts to halt the offensive. They rushed up strong reinforcements of tanks and infantry and counter-attacked fiercely and repeatedly. Soviet troops carried out a skilful by-passing manoeuvre and surrounded and wiped out several enemy groups totalling about 1500 men.

Russian tommy-gunners are fighting their way in quick rushes into the streets of Krivoi Rog. Soviet tanks are smashing down barricades for the troops to go forward. A Moscow correspondent says to-day that the city is slipping from the Germans' grasp.

Front-line despatches report that the city is now almost surrounded. Russian batteries have the last exit under fire and Russian assault troops driving far into the city are fighting it out with Germans shooting from windows and rooftops. Altogether the Russians liberated more than 50 towns and villages in the Krivoi Rog region during the day. COMMANDO KIDNAPPING RUSSIANS TAKE NORWEGIANS (Seed. 5.35 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 21 The Berlin radio stated that a Russian commando group early yesterday morning landed at Baatsfjord, in Finnmark, at the extreme north of Norway, and kidnapped four Norwegian civilians. NAZI GENERAL'S DEATH (Reed. 5.35 p.m.) LONDON. Feb. 21 The Berlin radio has confirmed that General Stemmerman was killed in the Kanev battle. German newspapers say he died heroically within the Russian ring. The Berlin radio announced that Hit-, ler has awarded Stemmerman Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross "for the break-through in the fighting west of Cherkasy," thus repeating the earlier assertion that the Germans who were encircled *in the Kanev pocket fought their way out of the trap. FINNISH TOWN BOMBED (Reed. 8.30 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 22 The Finnish news agency reports that Soviet bombers last night raided the Finnish town of Oulu, which lies on the Gulf of Bosnia, about 300 miles north of Helsinki. SWEDISH IRON ORE (Rccd. 11.10 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 22 The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply, Mr. Dingle Foot, told a questioner in the House of Commons to-day that during the past four years Sweden had exported about £3,000,000 worth of iron ore to enemy countries other than Germany and to German-occupied countries. Last year Germany got the same amount as in 1940.

CONFUSED FIGHTING INDIAN DIVISION AREA SUCCESSES IN BURMA (Reed. C.35 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 21 A communique from the headquarters of the South-east Asia Command states that fighting in the area held by the Seventh Indian Division is somewhat confused, as was to be expected now the enemy force is beginning to disintegrate, but our troops continue to exert pressure north toward the eastern exit of Ngakyedauk Pass, while a column of Japanese seeking refuge some two miles east of the exit is being hemmed in by our troops. Other enemy columns have been further split or eliminated. Throughout the Chin hills, about 100 miles north of Buthidauiig, where the enemy is building up his defence line, our patrols are actively harassing and reconnoitring and inflicting casualties. Chinese troops routed an enemy Sarty on the north bank of the Tamai liver, south-east of Tatplia Ga, in far northern Burma. Chinese forces have also approached within a few hundred yards of Laownga. Coastal patrol ships of the Indian Navy recently frustrated a Japanese [ attempt to cross the Raf River from Burma and land on Indian soil, reports an observer at New Delhi. These ships had been patrolling the Raf River for some time past. Finding the Japanese trying to cross, they closed the entrance to a creek and opened fire within half an hour of the arrival of the Japanese. The Commander of the United States Forces in China, India and Burma, Lieutennnt-General J. W. Stihvell, in a communique reports the sinking of two Japanese ships of L'7oo tons and 1200 tons, and the strafing of two smaller vessels. United States bombers also destroyed two railwav bridges in northern Kronc-li Indo-China and attacked aerodromes and barracks in I Burma.: