TWO-WAY DRIVE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25803, 26 March 1945, Page 5

TWO-WAY DRIVE

BACK DOOR TO GERMANY ADVANCE TOWARDS AUSTRIA TOLBUKHIN'S OFFENSIVE (Rec. 10.15 p.m.) LONDON, Mar. 24. An order of the day issued by Marshal Stalin addressed to Marshal Tolbukhin says: “ Third Ukrainian Front troops, having repelled attacks launched by 11 tank divisions southwest of Budapest and having worn down the enemy in defensive fighting, went over to the offensive and routed German tank groupings. Soviet troops advanced 45 miles on a front of over 60 miles and occupied the towns of Szekesfehervar Mor, Ziros, Veszperm, Enying, and over 350 other localities. “In these battles over 6000 enemy troops were captured. Our troops destroyed or captured 745 enemy tanks

and self-propelled guns, over 800 guns, and a great number of other arms and equipment.” Reuter’s correspondent points out that the Russians’ capture of Szekesfehervar and Veszperm, south-west of Budapest, opens the possibility for a two-way drive against Bratislava and Vienna. While Marshal Tolbukhin pushes up from the south-east towards these cities, Marshal Malinovsky’s troops fighting on the Hron River are threatening Bratislava from the northeast The Associated Press correspondent in Moscow reports that Marshal Koniev’s tanks, well inside the Czech border at several places, to-day drove through the mountain passes leading to great objectives beyond the northern ranges. One of the happiest men in Moscow is President Benes, who predicts that the Red Army will soon be in Prague. Marshal Rokossovsky, after splitting the Germans grouping around Danzig and Gdynia at Zoppol, is to-day directing his main effort to broadening the wedge to remove any chance of the German garrisons again linking up along the narrow strip of coastline. An all-out land, sea, and air battle is raging. The Germans have brought up heavy naval units, including cruisers and destroyers, which are sending high-velocity shells over the heads of the trapped garrisons. Several Üboats are standing by ready to evacuate high officers and key personnel. Thousands of German civilians are fighting alongside the Wehrmacht and marines.

Russian pilots report that the streets of the ports are choked with thousands of lorries, cars, and carts. Marshal Rokossovsky has massed armadas of planes which axe ceaselessly bombing.

A Russian communique reports that troops of the Second V/hite Russian Front continued the offensive and occupied Praust and 12 other localities in the Danzig area. One thousand German prisoners were taken yesterday. Troops of the Third Ukrainian Front occupied 350 places, including eight large ones. The enemy lost in dead alone 70,000 officers and men. The Russians on all fronts yesterday destroyed or disabled 204 tanks and shot down 107 planes. Russian heavy bombers last night raided the rail junction of Ostrava. The Soviet Baltic Fleet attacked enemy shipping off Danzig, Gdynia and Pillau, sinking six transports totalling 34,000 tons, and also two escort vessels.