NEXT DEFENCE LINE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25372, 2 November 1943, Page 3

NEXT DEFENCE LINE

RETREAT TO RIVER BUG

BARRIER TO THE BALKANS

(Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 1. Now that the Russians have reached the lower Dnieper the next defence line left to the Germans for even a temporary stand, is the River Bug, says the British United Press military writer. A great Russian encirclement victory in this area, which is now likely, will force the Germans to pour in reserves along the Bug to prevent a complete major break-through to the Balkans.

It now appears to be certain, according to the Stockholm correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, that the German High Command will not immediately evacuate the Crimea, but will fight to the bitter end in order to tie down as many Soviet divisions as possible and deny the Russian Black Sea fleet the use of the naval base of Sebastopol. Major Lehmann, the German News Agency military writer, says: “The Russians, with their mass of human material, are undoubtedly superior to the core of the Wehrmacht. Both Sides are throwing in all the material they possess. Within the framework of the German elastic tactics enemy penetrations are of minor importance as long as the Russians are stopped from breaking through on a really broad front and completely tearing to }>ieces the German defence, thus clearng the way for an invasion of Europe.” A supplementary Moscow communique says: “The Germans between the Dnieper and the Sea of Azov coast are suffering enormous losses of men and material. The enemy, using hurriedlyerected defences, attempted to consolidate his positions to gain time and regroup his disorganised troops, but his resistance was broken. The retreating Germans are abandoning artillery and infantry weapons, ammunition, and equipment. A large number of prisoners were taken. The Germans in the Krivoi Rog sector are also suffering immense losses.” The Scandinavian Telegraph Bureau declared that the have given up hope of holding Krivoi Rog, the keystone of the Dnieper bend defences. They decided to leave the German garrison to its fate. The Russian ring around Krivoi Rog is tightening, and the only question is how long the German garrison will be able to hold out. The Berlin correspondent of the Stockholm newspaper Social' Demokratens states that the Germans are sending all available troops to the eastern front. Leave has been cancelled and the men have been summoned by telegram to return to their units.