HUNS FEEL STRAIN ON STALINGRAD FRONT

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 241, 12 October 1942, Page 3

HUNS FEEL STRAIN ON STALINGRAD FRONT

ATTACKS WEAKEN

Russians Expert Renewal Of Onslaught

' V A 111,1 n.-iii.h Wirclos

1 I"" 51 lON DON. Oct n Or, iho ",()ih f ,;,y of the battle for lahngi ,k1 thr- (irrmnn .1 ttackci s v ere fought ln at a temporarv ill. I «oiI Mac. Soviet militarv journal. <=;n s ;haf although the fighting at s' aI, r, ( | , >uni inues Heivelv ' •'•rrnan procure ha < somewhat weakened owing ,o (he enormous 10-sos of the (irMline forces.

Other correspondents describe the Sickening both in infantry and tank attack*. Rod Star, however Rives warning that "the enemy has not even tip ;!,(> idea of capturing the city and is bringing up fresh receives for a new onslaught. '

German artillery and the Luftwaffe arc still ceaselessly hammering at Stalingrad, hut there has been a perceptible 1 i-i 1; :n the ground fighting. A German report states that the struggle is settling down to trench warfare. The 'limes Moscow correspondent says the Germans are lnrgelv relying on air power to stem the" Russian advance- north-west of Stalingrad "the Luftwaffe is constantly over the Russian lines attempting to pin down the infantry. The Russians however, continue to advance, taking further strong points and improving their position*.

Inhuman German Practice

The unbelievably inhuman practice of driving women and children in front of their attacking troops was employed yesterday by the Ger—and not for the first time—in an endeavour to gain headway on

the Stalingrad front. The Soviet communique, in disclosing this, adds that a Russian unit, which was quickly rushed to the German flank, attacked and inflicted heavy Casualties on the Germans and freer! the women and children.

The Germans, despite their recent statement, are still using infantry in the Stalingrad assault. The statement is considered to have been necessary to calm the minds of the Germans, as there is little doubt that the German people are at last beginning to feel the draught in the matter of casualties.

Important Soviet Gain

Crack Russian shock troops, in a powerful attack, dislodged the Germans from an operational base south of Stalingrad, says the Moscow radio. Taking advantage of a moment when the Germans and Rumanians were exhausted after several days of ceaseless attacks, the Russians advanced boldly and captured the base after bitter hand-to-hand fighting.

Russians attacking the German left flank north-west of Stalingrad captured another important height. The Izvestia says the Germans concentrated several fresh infantry divisions and tank divisions against north-western Stalingrad. Over 80 attacks in the past four days achieved only minor success. The Germans in one sector of the city penetrated the defences and captured streets, but finally were pushed back after losing a company of infantry and nine tanks.

Over iOO truckloads of supplies, as well as troops, are ferried nightly across the Volga to Stalingrad. German batteries constantly shell the ferries, but the boats keep crossing regardless of risks. The crossing takes half an hour.

The Vichy news agency has announced that a contingent of the French Volunteer Legion against Bolshevism has left for the eastern front.

Leningrad Activity

On the Leningrad front the Germans are continuing their efforts to rccover the positions lost to the Russians in the recent fighting.

The Germans are unloading siege guns day and night, says a Moscow agency message, in preparation to storm again, before the coming winter, the heights which are the key point, of the Leningrad defences. The defenders use the nickname "Magnet Mountain" for the heights, because they have attracted so much metal. After a year's bombardment shells and shell fragments around the ruined observatory are as thick as cobblestones.

According to [svestia. the Germans arc sustaining enormous losses on the Voronezh front. One Russian unit in a four-day battle killed a large number of officers and men and destroyed many guns, mortars and tanks.

A Finnish communique states that the Russians are violently attacking on the Karelian Isthmus.

Big enemy reinforcements are arriving at K.jcv, via the Yiazma railway, to a point within three miles (,f the city. The reinforcements are reported to include criminals. wiio have been promised a par«ton if they light well.

fßy «pw,l»! arrangement. Renin's World Service. Ifi I'lflltlon m other cpe.cinl tonnes o! Information. l» nted in the compilation ol the overseas Intelllpublished In this l*ftu<>. and ■* i 1 rlqlits therein in .VjfirnlJa and N»»- Zraland an reserved.

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The Germans are pressing the Russians hard in the Mosdok area and also south-east of Novorossisk, but in both sectors the Russians arc fighting back strongly. They describe the Mosdok operations as defensive.

In two days' fighting south-east of Novorossisk one Red Armv unit has repelled 12 enemy attacks and annihilated two enemy battalions. Regarding the Caucasu- fighting in general the opinion in London is that it is now probably too late for the Germans to get across the Caucasus Range by the two available roads before winter seta in. Military experts point out that the snowfall which has already occurred on the higher passes, mast necessitate the withdrawal of units which had climbed to the higher levels. If the Germans are to reach Baku, on the Caspian, and Batum, on the Black Sea, they will have to make their way along the coasts. The Moscow radio reports that the Russians south-east of ■ Novorossisk, supported by artillery and bombers, are making determined counterattacks.

The Russians have launched a determined attack in the Caucasian foothills for a three-peaked mountain which the Germans have fortified. Russian guns are storming the strongholds, while Soviet Alpine troops are slowly mounting to the summit.

The Germans have further penetrated the land of the Kalmucks. Kalmuck herdsmen and fishermen to-day met in Astrakhan and pledged to resist to tne end the new threat to the Russian left flank.

The latest reports from the Mosdok front state that a German Viking S.S. division ana other reinforcements. supported by 100 tanks, made an attack earlier in the week and suffered heavy casualties, including 1000 killed.