BATTLES ON VAST SCALE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 274, 19 November 1943, Page 5

BATTLES ON VAST SCALE

' GERMANS’ DESPERATE ATTACKS SMASHED BY RED ARTILLERY (By Telegraph—Prese Association—Copyrighti Recd. 7 p m. London, Nov. 17. ' While the Red Army is poised to smash into Korosten and Gomel, the Germans have gathered themselves for the biggest counter-attacks since the opening of the autumn campaign. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says that von Mannstein, in a stiff bid to thwart General Vatutin’s westward drive, has thrown in 150,000 men and hundreds of tanks against the Red Army’s 7.hitomir-Fastov wedge. The battle is on a vast scale. Strong panzer formations and re-formed mechanised units in the past few hours have joined in the struggle, which has been going on for the past six days. The enemy is desperately battling to keep open the lines of escape between Fastov and Odessa for the German armies still engaged in the Dnieper bend. The British United Press correspondent declares: “Von Mannstein’s large-scale attempt to halt the Red Army thrust west of Kiev has failed. The Germans in the Fastov area, after throwing in the biggest concentrations of tanks ever seen since the summer battles, mounted repeated attacks against the Red Army’s south flank, but Russian artillery smashed the attacks and the Germans left hundreds of crippled tanks on the battlefield.”

The British United Press expresses the opinion that if von Mannstein had launched his massive counter blow earlier when the Kiev salient was first being pushed out he might have succeeded, but the German High Command left the bid too late. The left flank of the Red Army's salient is now secure and strong enough for new’ attacks against the Germans’ west Ukraine communications system. Meanwhile Moscow reports confirm that General Vatutin’s forces on the north flank of the salient are progressing irresistibly towards Korosten. A classic Russian pincers movement is being employed as one column strikes round northwards of the town, while the German garrison fs pinned down by heavy presure from the south and west. Russian guns are now shelling the outskirts of Korosten.

Gomel is now isolated. Berlin radio to-night admitted another retreat towards Korosten, saying: “Russian attempts to break, through were not successful, because! the German line has been taken back some miles." The radio added: “South-] west of Gomel the German defencel formations have been withdrawn to, shortened positions. Savage hand-to-hand fighting is going on north-west of Gomel." The German news agency commentator von Hammer forecast major Red Army operations at the gates of the Crimea, and added: “The Russian thrust made on the Perekop Isthmus has been frustrated by a shorte.,Ing of the German front.”

To-night’s Soviet communique states: “The Red Army in the Dnieper bend has captured several strongly fortified defence points, including Veselaya, Dolina. Krutoi and Tomakovka, 21 miles north-east of Nikpol. The Russians in the Zhitomir and Koroatyshev regions fought a stubborn battle against enemy tank and infantry forces and were compelled to abandon several inhabited places under the enemy’s pressure. The Red Army in the Korosten region captured Narodich. 12 miles south- • east of Ovruch, besides 30 inhabited places, and in the area of the lower reaches of the Pripet River captured Chernobyl, 60 miles north-north-west of Kiev. The Russians are now fighting on tile western outskirts of Ryechi tsa.” The Ftxchange-Telcgraph’s Zurich correspondent declares that well-in-formed circles in Berlin state that the time for withdrawal according to plan has definitely passed and that the German army is firmly determined to resist the Russian offensive with the utmost vigour. Hitler is reported to have instructed the high command to hold the front line outside Germany. AH available reserves are reported as being sent to Russia.

The Volkischer Beodachter says:—, “Germany for the first time »incc"l9l3 has a war on her own territory. To-1 day we have many devastated towns] with millions bombed out. Germans nevertheless have not lost faith that Hitler will solve our difficult problem.”

The Russians have a firm hold on the railway behind Gomel between Ryechitsa and Kalinkovichi junction, near Mozyr, while one force yesterday drove west from Demechi and captured Babichi, 30 miles east of Kalinkovichi. Another took Saltanovo, just north-west of Ryechitsa. Thus both Ryechitsa and Gomel itself seem likely to be taken in the rear. This offensive is linked with the advance south of the Pripet Marshes, where Korosten is closely threatened by movements to the north and south of the town, as well as directly from Kiev. The principal German reaction continues to be on the south side of the Russian salient between Zhitomir and Bielayatserkov. There has been no slackening ot the German counter-at-tacks in tnis area, where reformed infantry units and large tank formations are trying to regain important positions.