GERMAN REVERSES ON STALINGRAD FUNK

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 255, 28 October 1942, Page 3

GERMAN REVERSES ON STALINGRAD FUNK

RUSSIANS ADVANCE Red Army Hold Enemy In Caucasus U.P.A. and British Wireless Rec. 1 p.m. LONDON, Oct. 27. That Stalingrad's position is extremely tense is emphasised in the latest dispatches from Moscow, but references to successful Russian counter-attacks in the Stalingrad area and on active fronts are constantly coming in. The British United Press Moscow correspondent says the Russians, after a fortnight's fighting, have driven the Rumanians and Germans to the steppes beyond the ridge of hills surrounding Stalingrad's southern approaches. The Russians, as a result of this success, now have the Germans on the defensive on both flanks of the army attacking Stalingrad itself. Moscow radio stated that the Rus- | sians have killed 4000 Rumanian and German troops and destroyed or seriously damaged 160 German tanks in the past six days south of Stalingrad. The Germans gained some ground at Stalingrad yesterday, but the Russians before dusk reoccupied their original positions, except for one 300 yards stretch which they are still struggling to recover. The Russians north-west of Stalingrad have recaptured a large village street by street. The Associated Press correspondent reports that the Luftwaffe continues to concentrate against the sectors holding out in the Stalingrad area - . , , Owing to their heavy losses the Germans have been unable for some time to attack on all the Stalingrad sectors simultaneously, says the Moscow newspaper Izvestia. North-west of Stalingrad Marshal Timcshenko's forces are vigorously continuing their local assaults. Inside Stalingrad itself the enemy has made no further progress. Many of the factories are still working and tanks are being repaired under bombardment.

Russian Guards Saved City It has now been revealed that the tide of battle was turned at a critical stage a month ago by a motorised division of the Russian Guards, who have since been engaged in defending hard pressed vital areas. Their operations have been directed from a headquarters in a cellar. A German news agency says that General Rodimsteff launched a relief assault from the north and south of the Red October works, using units of the 300 th Soviet Infantry. Fighting is still going on: The German High Command earlier claimed the capture of numerous nests of resistance in passages and cellars in the Red October works. German Stukas, the announcement said, dropped 1000 bombs on enemy positions on the Volga island opposite the Red ] October works. Red Army Cossacks and Marines are holding off the Germans from the Tuapse area across the Caucasus towards Novorossisk. Russian Scout detachments are constantly infiltrating in the enemy's rear, the fighting on the whole of the Caucasus front being mobile. Skirmishes are going on in parts of the Caucasus at a height of 12,000 ft on the edge of glaciers. The Russians do not under-estimate the German Alpine troops and they realise that vigilance will be necessary in the Caucasus throughout the winter. The Red Army continues to control the south bank of the Terek River, in the eastern Caucasus. From there it dominates most places on the north bank, although the German High Command to-nit it claimed that the Germans had crossed the Baksar River west of Terek. Fighting in the Mozdok area appears to be confined to artillerv and mortar duels. „