FRESH GAIN

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24874, 21 April 1944, Page 5

FRESH GAIN

RUMANIAN FRONT ADVANCE BY KONIEV BATTLES IN POLAND NAZIS CLAIM SUCCESS (Rood. 11.10 p.m.) LOXDON, April 20 Marshal Komev's troops have crossed the Moklava River in Rumania, says a Moscow message. The Moldava is a tributary of the Sereth running clown from the' Carpathians to the west. Russian troops of the First Ukrainian Army fighting in Poland yesterday repelled more strong attacks by German tanks and infantry east of Stanislawow, according to a Soviet cornmuir r jue. This counter-blow by the Germans entered its third day to-day. The Germans have been throwing in tanks and shock troops on a scale described by one correspondent as reminiscent of von Mannstein's unsuccessful counter-offen-sive at Kiev. In general the troops of Marshal Zhukov's army have held their ground and broken all the enemy thrusts. The Russians have been covered by fighter aircraft. The capture of Nadworna, between the Carpathians and Stanislawow, is claimed in the Berlin communique. This indicates that the German High Command has thrown considerable forces into action before the Carpathians. The Berlin radio commentator, Halleusleben, says a new storm may soon break in a different part of the Eastern Kront. Both sides are obviously regrouping their forces. He adds that Gorman reconnaissance observed a Russian concentration obviously preparing to attempt a break-through on the northern flank of the southern front. Renter's says that the Germans coun-ter-attacks east of Stanislawow are evidently taking von Mannstein's usual pattern—a bid to strike through them the flank and cut off the Russian spearheads. Yon Mannstein seems to be prepared to sacrifice tanks and infantry on a considerable scale.