MOVING TO CLOSE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24869, 15 April 1944, Page 7

MOVING TO CLOSE

CRIMEAN CAMPAIGN ROLLING TO SEBASTOPOL (Reed. 11.35 p.m.) LONDON, April 14 The Russians are massing for the death blow against the Germans i squeezed into the pocket around i Sebastopol, says Reuter'3 Moscow : correspondent. The Crimean cami paign is moving to a spectacular i close. Russian heavy guns are roll- • ing through the white dust almost ; within range of Sebastopol. Russian , tanks were last reported 30 to 35 . miles away and pushing on rapidly. Battle has been joined on the undu- . lating road running through the foot- [ hills directly to Sebastopol. The Germans are struggling in vain to hold j up the Russian advance. They are being , cut to pieces or are surrendering in droves. Remnants of the broken German and Rumanian forces are wand er- | ing over the steppe behind the onrush- ' ing mechanised units. Advanced units of the Russian armies ' from the north and east joined up on ; the railway from Dzhankoi to Theo- ; dosia. The final battle of the campaign, adds the correspondent, will be for Sebastopol. There is little possibility of serious resistance after the fall of Sebastopol. The capture of Eupatoria gives the Russians a springboard for a seaborne operation against Sebastopol. Moscow is now reckoning the continued German occupation of Sebastopol in days, but there may be fierce action among the hills as well as at the gates of the port.