FIGHTING IN RUSSIA

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23661, 11 June 1942, Page 5

FIGHTING IN RUSSIA

Bitter Local Actions GERMAN ATTACKS ON SEBASTOPOL (Received June 10, 9.10 p.m.) (N.Z.P.A.-8.0.W.) LONDON, June 9. The Soviet night communique says: “Engagements of local importance and patrol activity took place to-day on several sectors of the front. On the Sebastopol front our troops repelled numerous enemy attacks, with heavy loss to the enemy. More than 2500 German officers and men were killed in to-day’s fighting on the Sebastopol front," Bitter local fighting is reported from practically every sector of the RussianGerman front. “Side-shows” continue to be fought out from Sebastopol to the Barents Sea. A large-scale offensive could break out in any one of half a dozen sectors at any time. Sebastopol; continues to resist by land and air, giving the Germans blow for blow. The defenders have yielded no ground, according to the Moscow correspondent of “The Times,” who also reports the failure of the preliminary intensive bombing with which the Germans hoped to reduce the fortifications and the Russian air forces. Enemy bombers on the fifth day of the onslaught continued to swoop on the' city and harbour in waves of at least 30 aeroplanes. The majority of the population was called on to fight 1000 incendiaries. The Russians claim to have destroyed 70 aeroplanes since the beginning of the present attack. Referring to the stubborn resistance by the people of Sebastopol, Moscow messages say that they have built dining quarters, schools, and even cinemas inside caverns and shelters, 'gained and experienced crews are repairing in record time damage to public vehicles, the water system, power supply, and communications. Fires caused by 1000 incendiaries are reported to have been expeditiously put out, reducing damage to a minimum. The German air losses are enormous. It is claimed in Berlin that the fall of Sebastopol is only a matter of time. Other Berlin dispatches say that the Sebastopol attack is a secondary operation designed to cover preparations for a much bigger drive to be launched soon in another sector. “Germans Make No Headway” The British Broadcasting- Corporation’s observer in Moscow (Mr Paul Winterton) says that after five days of continuous assault on the great Soviet naval base at Sebastopol, the only remaining Soviet position in tne

Crimea, the Germans have failed to make any headway, although they have thrown huge quantities of tanks, artillery, and infantry into the offensive regardless of cost. Even though the Germans succeeded in making a wedge in the Russian defences, the Soviet forces launched a terrific counter-attack and the Germans were thrown back to their original lines. Elsewhere, Mr Winterton reports, large concentrations of enemy troops and great numbers of tanks and bombing aeroplanes have not only failed to make progress, but in some sectors have actually been forced back by Russian counter-attacks. He recalls that before the present offensive against Sebastopol, German attacks against the stronghold had cost them 45,000 men. Now the areas round Sebastopol are littered with enemy corpses and smashed tanks and guns. In spite of tremendous losses the enemy is bringing up fresh reserves of troops and tanks for fresh attacks. Fighting in Other Sectors Bitter fighting flared up in the Bryansk region, where the Russians captured two dominant hills and two villages. Between Leningrad and the Valdai Hills the Russians held up large enemy parties supported by tanks. There were sharp engagements In several sectors where the Germans attempted to drive wedges. The Russians disabled 20 tanks in one such engagement and are now counterattacking at several points on this front. In the Barents Sea area the Russian Air Force and Fleet Air Arm are night and day attacking German communications, while determinedly defending their own supply lines. Although no important move has begun from Finland, a heavy artillery bombardment of the Russian positions has been in progress since the weekend. The Stockholm correspondent of “The Times” says: “This does not necessarily mean that a serious drive against Leningrad is immediately impending from this side, but it can be interpreted as covering the taking over of the whole or a part of this sector by German divisions which, it is reported, have been ready since the spring to assume this task in connexion with the inevitable offensive against Leningrad. “German intentions in the Svir section are still obscure, but serious preparations are certainly maturing in the north, particularly for a drive to the White Sea near the Arctic Circle to cut the railway to Murmansk, and to establish a submarine base on the White Sea to harass the British uid American summer route while surface warships onerate in the broader Arctic waters. The base for these enemy surface ships has been transferred from Trondheim to Narvik, and a few days ago was inspected by Grand Admiral Raeder and the German naval chief in Norway (Boehn).”

An entire section of a Slovak motorised division on the southern front, with its commander, crossed over to the Russian lines after fighting their German guards, says the Moscow radio. After surrendering the Slovaks appealed to their compatriots to follow suit. . „ , The Berlin radio, quoting a Bucharest report, said that in the eight months since the fall of Odessa 50 Bolshevik terror bands had been forced out of the catacombs of the city after the Germans had bricked up the exits. Electric lighting, short-wave radios, and special drainage and other installations were discovered in the catacombs. The radios were used to communicate with the Russian command. The Russians planned the hiding-place before the fall of the city. British Civilian Casualties.—British Empire civilian casualties, from the outbreak of war to September 2, 1941, totalled 43,675 killed and 50,346 injured and detained in hospital. The, figures do not include casualties at sea among merchant seamen and civilians. —London, June - 9.