EASTERN FRONT

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25047, 10 November 1944, Page 5

EASTERN FRONT

LULL IN HUNGARY FIRST SNOWS CALLING (Reed. 6.30 p.m.) • LONDON, Nov. 9 A German infantry battalion in I Hungary crossed the Danube to its east bank far to the south'of Budapest, but the Russians wiped out the whole force. Renter's correspondent in Moscow says that a resumption ofthe offensive against Budapest is believed to be imminent. The German news agency reports new Russian tank concentrations in the outskirts of Budapest. Some Russian forces are said to be under three miles south of the capital. The Daily Telegraph says the Hungarian Minister of War, General Bereczky, has ordered the evacuation of men aged from 16 to 50 from Budapest "which might become a war zone and the men remaining are likely to be forced to work by the Russians." The men were instructed to assemble at fixed points. Their destination was not stated, but thev were warned they should be prepnrsd for hardships as "most of the journey will have to be on foot." The first heavy snowfalls of the season on the Russian front are reported today (Wednesday), says Reuter's correspondent in Moscow. There is also 6tiow in Moscow. It is disclosed here, the correspondent adds, that there are now four newlyformed German tank divisions in East Prussia, also that thousands of East Prussians have been recalled from the Western Front and Italy to help defend the threshold of the Reich. The Moscow correspondent of the Exchange Telegraph says that, whole German divisions in East Prussia are being made up of marines, anti-aircraft gunners, Luftwaffe ground staff and radio operators, all fighting as infantry. The correspondent adds that reports from the Baltic front say the Russians have launched a combined land and air assault designed to destroy the German divisions trapped in Latvia between Libau and Tukums.