OF THE GERMAN ARMY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 January 1944, Page 4

OF THE GERMAN ARMY

Predicted by Moscow Military Commentator

GENERAL VATUTIN’S GREAT ADVANCE

PRELUDE TO DECISIVE OFFENSIVE BY ALL

ALLIED FORCES

(By Telegraph.—Press Association—Copyright.) (Received This Day, 1.10 p.m.) LONDON, January 4. The region west of Olevsk, where General Vatutin’s army is at present pursuing German rearguards is no man’s land, says the British United Press Moscow correspondent. Like many stretches of country along the frontier, it is sparsely populated, almost roadless and generally one of the mpst backward areas in the world. A major Russian attack is unlikely in this desolate country and the main Western Ukraine attack is likely to be carried out south-west of. Novograd Volynsk, where General Vatutin’s forces will be able to take up a position on high, passable ground and use a series of fairly good roads, one of which is the highway to Rovno. The area north of Novograd Volynsk to Olevsk is very unfavourable for the movement of big forces. The swamps and forests in this area are almost completely without roads and any movement must be restricted to small units. The Moscow radio’s military commentator, Colonel Vasilev, declared: ‘ ‘ The Russian successes are the prelude to a decisive offensive of ail the Allied forces from east, south and west, which will bring about the complete defeat of the German Army.” The Paris radio’s commentator, Jean Paquis, said the most' gigantic offensive ever launched by Marshal Stalin is undoubtedly the right description of General Vatutin’s present operations. He is incessantly flinging more and more fuel into the furnace. Von Mannstein faces a million Red Army men, also one motorised division after another. The German news agency’s commentator, von Hammer, said fresh Russian detachments were -being rushed up to tear up the German southern front. The great winter battle which the Russians began on December 24, with twenty infantry divisions, thirty tank brigades and the strongest possible use of artillery, was raging with undiminished ferocity. The Soviet night communique reports: ‘‘The Russians north of Nevel waged an off ensive, captured over 100 inhabited localities and completely cleared the railway from Velikiye Luki to Nevel. Troops of the First Ukrainian Front, after fouf days of bitter lighting, carried by assault the town and railway station of Byelaya Tserkov. The Red Army today captured Pliska, a district centre in the Vinnitsa region, Stavische a district centre in the Kiev region, also 40 inhabited localities.” The Berlin radio tonight admitted that the Russians as a result of renewed attacks on the Vitebsk front, have made two local breaches south-east of the town, which it is claimed the Germans later sealed off. The radio said grim battles are going on north-west of Vitebsk. Colonel Jurgen, of a Saxon Infantry Division, broadcasting from the Vitebsk front, said the Germans were facing tremendous odds in the battle for Vitebsk, The Russians, in one small sector, hurled in thirteen rifle divisions, three rifle brigades, six tank formations and 500 guns.