INSIDE WARSAW

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24969, 11 August 1944, Page 5

INSIDE WARSAW

DRAMATIC APPEALS HOME ARMY'S BRAVE FIGHT (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Thursday The Polish Consulate-General in Wellington has received the following cablegram from the Polish Agency Telegraph, London, dated August 8: — "Messages containing urgent and dramatic appeals to bring about immediate supplies of arms and ammunition for the Polish Home Army fighting in Warsaw have been received by the Polish Government in London from General Bors and the leader® of the Polish Underground Army. " 'We request immediate assistance in ammunition and anti-tank weapons,' the messages say. 'We are faced with fighting for at least several more days, during which time we must be supplied. We are doing our utmost to hold our capital. You must show your effort. The shortage of ammunition has put us in a difficult situation. " 'The battle for Warsaw is in its sixth day. The Germans are using technical means which we do not possess—tanks, air force, artillery and flamethrowers. We have been fighting this battle for six days without artillery, tanks or aircraft, due only to the unparalleled determination of the soldiers of the Home Army and the immense self-sacrifice of the whole population of Warsaw. The enemy is bombing our city for the third day in succession and using flame-throwers in whole districts.' "The leaders of the underground movement stress in their despatches that there is fighting spirit among the population of Warsaw, but at the same time a strong feeling of disappointment is spreading—a feeling of being alone in a decisive battle. "The messages add: 'The Germans have made some progress in fighting for a thoroughfare leading to the Kierbiedz iiridge and they occupy several streets in the former ghetto. A thoroughfare leading to the second bridge, Poniatowski, is still in the hands of the enemy. Fighting continues with undiminished violence on all sectors. We feel no relief coming from the outside.' " OFFENSIVE REPORTED BUG RIVER SECTOR (Reed. 6.10 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 10 The Russians have cleared a large stretch of territory north-east of Warsaw, about 40 miles from the Polish capital, in the Bug River area. The German news agency reports that the Russians, after violent artillery preparation, reopened the offensive in this area with powerful tank and infantry battle groups, backed by numerous planes. The Russiahs succeeded in driving wedges in the German lines. Heavy fighting is still raging.

NEAR CZECHOSLOVAKIA RUSSIANS SWEEPING ON (Reed. 6.10 p.m.) LONDON, Aupr. 10 Tlio Russians along the Carpathians front pressed forward through a mountain pass yesterday and captured Skole, less than 20 miles from the frontier between Poland and Czechoslovakia. GREAT FLYING RECORD AMERICAN SHUTTLE FORCE LONDON. Aug. 9 A task force of United States Eighth Air Force Flying Fortresses, escorted by Mustangs, which shuttled to Italy from Russia yesterday, flew over 30 hours in three days. The Fortresses left England on Sunday and bombed an aircraft plant at Gdynia, on the Baltic, before landing in Russia. The bombers on Monday attacked the Trzedinia oil refinery, near Cracow, in Southern Poland, and returned to their Russian base. Yesterday they bombed Buzau, 40 miles north-east of Ploesti, and continued on their way to an airfield in Italy, CURBING CELEBRATIONS ALCOHOLIC BAN SUGGESTED (Reed. 7.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, Autr. 10 The Hotel Association in New York has asked bars, hotels and night clubs to declare a 24-hour ban on the sale of alcoholic beverages immediately on receipt of the news that fighting has ceased in Europe. The association points out that advance news of peace cannot bo expected and the manpower shortage makes impossible proper preparation for the handling of enthusiastic crowds. The ban wo aid result in a more dignified typo of celebration