GERMANS HELD AT STALINGRAD

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23715, 13 August 1942, Page 5

GERMANS HELD AT STALINGRAD

Continued Heavy Fighting DEFENDING KEY TO VOLGA (Received August 12, 11 p.m.) (NIP,A,) LONDON, August 12. ' The two determined German thrusts towards Stalingrad are being held, The Russians stand firm in the north-west, at: Kletskaya, where the Germans are making a desperate attempt to smash their way to the Don. At Kotelnikov the southern arm of the German drive has apparently made little progress in the last few days, and the Russian resistance has • increased. There is no news from Russia of the German forces which reached Kalach at the bend of the Don. and nothing to indicate that the Russians are not holding fast. A German communique says the Russian Army west of Kalach has been driven together in a narrow base and faces annihilation. The Soviet communique reports the continuation of heavy fighting inside the bend of the Don about Kletskaya and south of the Don elbow, where the Germans are attempting an advance' on Stalingrad from the southwest. The communique states: “On , August , 11 our troops waged fierce fighting in the regions of Kletskaya, north-east of Kotelnikov. No important changes have occurred on other sectors of the front,"

The enemy around Kletskaya again suffered heavy losses, but continued to bring up fresh reserves. All types of weapons are said to be in use in the fighting to the north-east of Kotelnikov. Reference is also made to a large tank battle near a locality occupied by the Russians on the previous day. This has forced the enemy to the defensive. Battle Without Decision The Moscow correspondent of the Daily Telegraph” reports that the Germans at some points in the Kotelnikov area forced their way into the Russian positions by sheer weight of metal, but battle goes on without a decision. The Russians in some sectors at Kletskaya pressed back the Germans. The fighting on both sectors is the most bitter of the whole campaign. Mr Paul Winterton, of the London "News Chronicle,” in a dispatch to the British Broadcasting Corporation, states that in the elbow of the lower Don and north-east of Kotelnikov the greatest armed struggle of the war is developing. Enormous tank concentrations, motorised infantry, and large air forces are engaged on both sides, and in the terrific clashes the enemy has made little, if any, impression on the Russian defences. After three w«>ks of the most intensive fighting, beMns not yet fought his way out of ow of the Don and over the TijJW-l*., ■ ■ 'SrfrWlnt.o.rton states that both sides are makirtg almost superhuman efforts. He adds that the Germans consider that it is absolutely vital for their purpose to get through to the Volga, and they will continue to press on. regardless of losses. But, he continues, if the Germans need Stalingrad desperately, the Russians need it even more desperately, and they intend to keep it If humanly possible, The Moscow correspondent of ‘ The Times” says: “Marshal Timoshenko is using all his resources to defend Stalingrad and the Volga so as to maintain the Soviet’s vital communications, but Marshal von Bock is pouring in great forces of infantry and tanks.’ Stalingrad is the key town of the whole Volga region, dominating Russia’s greatest waterway, which even in Peace time used to carry no less than 30,000,000 tons of freight annually. It has been one of the most vital reception areas for factories evacuated from the west last year. It is also a great munition dump for the whole southern front. It is now apparent that Marshal Timoshenko’s north Caucasian forces Were weaker than expected, for which reason, when the Germans exploited their successful surprise tactics, Mar-

shal Timoshenko had to choose between defending the north Caucasus or concentrating everything possible for the defence of the Volga. Marshal Timoshenko managed by successful withdrawals to keep tne largest proportion of his armies intact, and his decision to protect the Volga is regarded in London as being undoubtedly sound. The lower yolga is one of the most important Russian supply routes and is the sole remaining route by which oil from Baku can be transported in considerable quantities to the interior. If the Russians can hold Stalingrad, Astrakan, and Baku then the all-important flow of oil can be maintained. . „ „ . South of Voronezh the Russians are still attacking, and have captured two more inhabited places German counter-attacks have failed. A German communique reports heavy defensive fighting in the Rzhev area where the Russians yesterday attacked with fresh reinforcements.

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