Double Russian Offensive Still Progressing

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 13013, 3 December 1942, Page 5

Double Russian Offensive Still Progressing

ffg FORCES completely trapped 8 ° TB BETWEEN DON AND VOLGA

rTANT HEIGHT captured by soviet '’'troops after fierce encounters

gjjig APPEAL to german soldiers 311 to hold rjev

London, Dec. 2. ble Russian offensive west of Stalingrad and also the on the Rzhev-Veliki Luki line, continue to make |^P ro f al distance the Red Army drive south-west of Stalingrad | • | the most ground. pc aine J, I! troops in the Stalingrad area are in a critical ■'ll and von Hoth’s forces are completely trapped between the we e city the Russians have captured an import--131 the importance of this height to the enemy positions may be r I from the fact that a whole German division was ordered to 't After seven desperate assaults, all of which failed to hany ground, the Germans were forced to abandon the attempt Sin this important area. ■ls a result the .Russians are now ready to make a direct attack •n the enemy rear in this sector. Inside Stalingrad the Soviet forces are driving the Germans •Von, building after building 1 and also from whole streets. Everywhere the story is the same—the Germans are retreating. South-west of Stalingrad our Allies have made considerable r(l( rress toward Kotelnikovo and are now only eight miles away the town. Way to the north, 600 miles from the Stalingrad battles, very satisfactory progress is reported from Rzhev where the Russians •jve retaken mdre villages on the Rzhev-Yiazma railway which ■kv are now firmly astride, 'Rzhev is too strongly fortified for its early capture to be upected. . , . . The Russian newspaper Pravda says that only inventive genius an prevail against the formidable fortifications at Rzhev. An earlier message states that with the battle for Rjev, on the teian central front, having entered a decisive stage and the Red Army already in charge of some sectors of the city, the Red Star ays Hitler has sent a message to his Rjev command saying: “The kof Rjev would be ecpial to the loss of half of Berlin.” The man commanders in this area are urging their troops to defend le positions to the last man.