Gaining Momentum

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIII, Issue 22486, 22 January 1943, Page 5

Gaining Momentum

Soviet Winter Offensive Nazi Bases Threatened By Telegraph—New Zealand Press Association —Copyright (Received 10 p.m.) LONDON, January 20. DEPORTS FROM Moscow indicate that a furious battle " is in progress in the Leningrad area. The Germans are striving desperately to prevent the Russians from widening the corridor linking General Govorov’s forces with General Meretskov’s in the Volkhov area. The Moscow correspondent of the British United Press says that, in spite of stiffer German resistance, the Russians smashed another strong point and seized booty. An even more furious battle is developing in the swamp forests south of Lake Ladoga, where the Red Army advanced southward after mopping up the whole of the south bank of the lake and the left bank of the Neva. The roar of gunfire echoes unceasingly through the forests, while heavy tanks rumble across the half-frozen marshes. Stormoviks played a vital part in support of the ground forces in the battle for the crossing of the Neva. Grazing tree tops and telegraph poles they pounded the German positions during General Govorov’s break through, while ski troops raced across the frozen surface of Lake Ladoga and, stealing through the forests, took the enemy by surprise.

One of the bloodiest battles in the Leningrad break through occurred in the workers’ settlement at Sinyavino, which crack German troops were defending. It changed hands several times and was finally taken after the Germans had lost more than 20,000 men killed or wounded. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent states that the Russian 600-mile offensive is entering its tenth week and gathering momentum. Hitler’s forces are threatened in the great central bases of their winter line Rostov, Kharkov and Kursk, besides in North Caucasia. General Golikov’s forces on the Voronezh front are pushing on a two-pronged drive north-west toward Kursk and south-west toward Kharkov. The correspondent adds that “Red Star” reported to-night that the Russians, after piercing the German defences in an unnamed sector on the Voronezh front, penetrated deeply to the rear and cut a road on the enemy’s line of retreat. Heavy losses were inflicted on an Axis column and more than 1000 prisoners were taken, besides many guns and lorries. With the capture of Valuiki and Urasova, the Russian forces thrusting towards Kharkov are within 70 miles of that city. Many more towns and villages have since been retaken both in this drive and one against Kursk. Latest reports state that the Axis forces are in a critical position on many sectors. A big enemy garrison was trapped at Ostrogojsk, whose capture is now announced. The Russian forces further south, which swept across the Donetz and took Kamenskaya, are now pressing on toward Likhnaye, which is a rail junction 60 miles from Rostov. The Red Army has now crossed the Donetz over a stretch of 30 to 40 miles. In the Northern Caucasus the Soviet forces closing in on Stavropop captured two points, each about 20 miles from tins important collective farming centre. The Soviet successes in the Velikiye Luki sector, in which several more places were taken yesterday, coincided with the deepening of winter, says the Moscow correspondent of “The Times.” All the German positions between White Russia and the Baltic are menaced. It is important to remember that the frozen ground in the north will not permit the movement of mechanised forces for many months, and this gives ski-mounted troops, of whom the Russians have a vast number, a substantial advantage. The Russians in the south are carrying the battle westward into regions the Germans can ill afford to lose if they hope to retain any of their summer gains. They have already lost about half the territory seized after launching their attack from the Kursk salient last year. A feature of the mobile warfare on the Voronezh front is the utter routing of the Italians and Hungarians. The latter are brave in offensive warfare but crack when the tide turns against them.

Reuters correspondent at Moscow eports that many .surrendered from a large number of Hitler’s divisions hopelessly trapped in the corridor between the Don and the KamenskayaRossosh section of the Voronezh-Rostov railway. Systematic annihilation of the others is proceeding. In addition to 29 Rumanian, Italian and Hungarian divisions badly mauled in the last two months on the Russian front, at least 60 German divisions, excluding those trapped at Stalingrad, are regarded as in a similar state. Gains On All Fronts The mighty Russian offensive, developing from the Gulf of Finland down to the Caucasus, sweeps on, especially towards Rostov. The Red Armies are making gains on all fronts, although progress is easier in the sectors where the Germans have been scattered by the momentum of the attack. Three railway junctions are among the five points of importance whose capture Is announced in a special Russian communique. The communique states: “Soviet troops in the northern Caucasus occupied Petrovoskoe <5O miles north-east of Voroshilovsk). Soviet troops on the south-western front, by a fierce attack, occupied the town of Kamenskaya (otherwise Kamensk), and the district centre and large railway station of Bielokaliiva. A large amount of booty was captured. Soviet troops on the Voronezh front continuing to develop their offensive, captured Valuiki and Urasva. Prisoners Taken "Since occupying Cheresk. Russian troops in the northern Caucasus have crossed the River Kuban,’’ states a supplement to the Russian morning communique. “The enemy is offering i stubborn resistance but the Russians are forging ahead and have occupied a number of localities. “Sduth of Lake Ladoga, where the German land blockade of Leningrad was pierced, the Russians waged offensive engagements. Many prisoners, including a German battalion commander, were taken at Schlusselberg. “In the Stalingrad area, the annihilation of the encircled Germans eon tinues. Russian .storm detmhmem have occupied several fortified po i tion.s in the city. “On the southern front fierce fighting is in progress for one large locality In the area south-west of Orlovskaya <on the north bank of the River Sal'. On another sector of the same front Russian units are mopping up an

encircled enemy force. On the southwest front the Russians have occupied a number of localities. On one sector of this front the Germans, aiming to relieve the encircled garrison, threw into battle large infantry and tank forces. The Russians repelled several enemy counter-attacks and annihilated. in stubborn engagements, one German infantry regiment. Nazi Losses at Millerovo “In Millerovo the Germans abandoned 500 wounded. In one area of this city more than 3000 enemy dead were left. The Russians on the Voronezh front continued their successful offensive. The encircled German garrison in the town of Qstragzhsk made several desperate attempts to break out of the town, but all enemy counter-attacks were beaten off with heavy losses. "In the area of the locality of Popoyalty <2O miles north-north-west of Rossosh), our mobile units, after a two hours’ engagement, captured 5000 Italian officers and men. In the area of Alekseevka our troops attacked a large Italian lorry column. The Italians offered only slight resistance and surrendered quickly. ORDERED TO RESUME WORK Miners On Strike In U.S.A. 110 p. 111.1 WASHINGTON. Jan. 20. Mr Roosevelt has directed all the anthracite coalminers who arc on strike to return to work immediately. He intimated that if they failed to comply within 48 hours the Government would take the necessary steps to protect the security of the nation against a strike which was doing serious injury to the war effort. Meanwhile 15,000 are still idle. One Union official declared that the men will not work under the Army and will not work under Mr John L. liewls, but they are willing that the Govcrnment should take over the management of the mines lor the duration. They feel that if the Government does (his and thoroughly investigates the conditions of work they will, get a square deal. The miners are demanding an increase in pay of two dollars a day and the cancellation of the monthly increase of 50 cents in Union