Daily Post - 12.02.1943, Blaðsíða 4

4
DAÍJLY í'OSf
Russians 15 Miles From
Kharkov
Mr. Churchill
(Continued from page 1.)
Breaeh In Rostor’s
Outer Defenees
London, Febr. llth.
According to the Moscow communique today, Russian forces
are now only 15 miles from Kharkov. Orel is in danger of heing
outflanked. Especially important news is reported from the Rostov
area, where a new—and to the Nazis most unwelcome—develop-
ment has taken place.
The most interesting develop-
ment reported from the Eastern
front today is taking place in
the battle for Rostov. The Mos-
cow communique says. that Rus-
sian troops have overcome
strong enemy resistance and
forged ahead so that Soviet
tanks have already crossed the
Don about 20 miles upstream,
and made a large breach in the
German defences. This means
that the city is now threatened
from east and north, as well as
by the Soviet heavy guns from
the south. Russian troops have
cut the railway line between
Rostov and Novo Cherkassk,
and the only way of retreat left
to the Germans is now by way
of Taganrog, around the north-
easternmost reaches of the Sea
of Azov.
Nearing Kharkov
The Soviet communique of
to-day also reports more pro-
gress in the encircling move
against Kharkov. The distance
between the claws of the Rus-
sian pincers, closing in on the
Nazis from north and south, is
steadily lessening. The capture
of two more important places
was announced late last night:
that of Volchansk, 45 miles
north-east, and Cheguiev, 22
miles south of Kharkov.
REYKJABIO
“The Shop aronnd
the Corner”
Starring
JAMES STEWART
MARGARET SULLAVAN
FRANK MORGAN
STIFF RESISTANCE
The enemy made tremendous
efforts to hold Volchansk, and
had brought in special SS de-
tachments, and a great number
of tanks, but after hard fighting
the town was carried by our
Allies, by frontal and flank at-
tacks. Many prisoners and much
booty was taken.
Cheguiev is a great grain dis-
tribution centre with the bigg-
est elevators in the country. It
lies on the west bank of the
Donetz, across which all bridges
had been destroyed, and the ice
blown up by the Germans. Our
Allies first captured a place
further up the river, and then
moved down on Cheguiev,
which they carried by storm.
Orel Threatened
North of Kursk Soviet troops
have advanced, and further nar-
rowed the German pocket at
Orel, which is in great danger
of being outflanked. Another
Soviet force is steadily driving
westwards to cut the German
communication line between
Kursk and Briansk. The Donetz
Basin is also increasingly threa-
tened by encirclement. More
progress has been made by our
Allies in the Kramatovskaya
region, where several villages,
prisoners and booty have been
taken. The Russians are here
driving on towards Golovka,
which has direct communica-
tions with the Sea of Azov.
AZOV ADVANCE
By the capture of a small har- •
bour on the shores of the Sea of ]
Azov, our Allies have now j
cleared the coast for a stretch ;
of 100 miles, and deprived the
enemy of the last link of re- j
treat with that stretch of water.
Anilýslð i Daiii Pesi
Late News
London, Febr. llth.
The Moscow midnight com
munique announces that the
Red Army has cut Kharkov’s
last communication with the
south hy capturing today the
town of Lozovo, 75 miles
south of Kharkov, and only
60 miles north-east of Dnie-
propetrovsk. The town is an-
nounced to he one of the real
keys to the whole Donetz
area, and its loss greatly com-
plicates the German position
at Kharkov and in the Don-
has.
8th Armjr
Advances Slowljr
London, Febr. llth.
Forward elements of the Brit-
ish Eighth Army, made contact
yesterday with enemy troops
east of Ben Gardane, which lies
t
about 25 miles inside the Tuni-
sian border, and some artillery
exchanges took place.
Our troops are still advanc-
ing, but progress is slow, owing
to the mining of the roads, and
the demolition work carried
out by the retreating enemy, as
well as the bogginess of the
ground after the recent rains.
Bad wéather has also hamp-
ered air operations, but Malta
based fighterbombers yesterday
attacked railway targets in Si-
cily; heavy U.S. bombers raided
shipping in Palermo harbour in
daylight; medium bombers at-
tackéd two airfields in Crete,
while two small enemy ships,
carrying troops, were success-
fully attacked in the Sicilian
Narrows. Wellingtons attacked
the docks at Trapani in Sicily.
NEW GUINEA
(Continued from page 1.1
the subsequent fighting 130
Japanese were killed as the
Australians overran their de-
fences with the bayonet. Much
booty was captured, including
guns and shells, and a new type
of a 25 millimetre gun. The Jap-
^lmese casualties in this area
since January amount to 800
officers and men killed.
vain hope that he can avert
doom by U-boat warfare. Ke
may delay it, but he will never
be able to avert it.”
Russia
Mr. Churchill then reaffirm-
ed our determination to aid
R’ ssia to the utmost, both ma-
tcrially and by drawing tbe
enemy away from the Eastern
front. He expressed his and
President Roosevelt’s regrets
that M. Stalin and his military
chiefs, owing to big operations
on their home front, had been
unable to attend the conference.
Tnrkey
Dealing with his visit to
Turkey, the Prime Minister
said, that it never had been a
part of our policy to drive
Turkey into the war, as disaster
to her would spell disatser to
us. He had had no request to
make to her leaders except that
the best possible use be made of
the supply of arms we were
sending, and that her army be
brought to the highest point of
efficiency. Of the following
visit to Tripolitania and the
Eighth Army he said: “Never
have I seen any other army
march with the style and the
air of the desert army.”
Fai* East
In Burma, Mr. Churchill sa .d,
our plans were at present con-
fined to operations, which
would open the Burma Road,
and to giving all the aid we
possibly can to China.
The Prime Minister summed
up in these words: “I feel justi-
fied in asking this House to be-
lieve that their business is being
conducted according to a de-
finite plan. For good or ill we
know oúr minds. It now only re-
mains to work out our plans in
detail, and put them into e.íe-
cution. Britain’s first object is
to defeat Hitler and break Ger-
many’s power. To the gu'.i.v
will be meted out sfern and jm-
placable justice. No vestige of
Nazi or Fascist power, or Japan-
ese war-plotting machinery will
be left by us when the work is
done, as it certainly will be. In
the event of war against Japan
alone, Britain will. move all the
forces of her Empire to the Jar
East, and will continue the wsr
by the side of the United Staíes
until the unconditional surrend-
er of the enemy.”
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