THRUST TOWARDS STALINGRAD

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23719, 18 August 1942, Page 5

THRUST TOWARDS STALINGRAD

The Germans are punching hard on narrow sectors in front and north-east of Kotelnikov. Very fierce fighting is raging along the railway. The Vichy radio declared that the Germans south, west of Stalingrad are now less than 40 miles from the city. The midday Russian communique states that in the region south-east of Kletskaya in the Don bend, Soviet troops have repelled numerous enemy attacks and Soviet artillery is inflicting heavy losses on the enemy. While the Germans have undoubtedly made some progress in the Don bend, there is no confirmation in London that there is a great turn for the worse, and it is not believed that the Germans have rounded up many Russians in the river area, states a British Official Wireless message. As for the German claim to have reached the river Itself, it is thought that some patrols may have penetrated this far, but shoulder-to-shoulder fighting is not implied. “ , The Germans used 100 tanks m four successive attacks' south-east of Kletskaya yesterday, but they again failed to break through to the banks of the Don. A Russian rifle division in the morning lost several important positions, but a Russian artillery regiment was rushed into battle straight from a long march, and saved the situation. Point-blank fire broke up three separate tank attacks, and by evening the Germans were back to their original positions. Threat to Astrakhan The threat to Astrakhan and the lower Volga by enemy forces moving from Kotelnikov has not increased m the last 24 hours. As for the Germans’ claim to nave taken Elitsa, about 180 miles west of Astrakhan and nearly the same distance due south of Stalingrad, it is not now thought that they are trying to drive due east to the big Caspiafi port, but rather that the advance is turning south or south-west, and their forces here may be looked upon as a flank guard to the main forces in the CauCo “ Red Star,” meanwhile, declares that the entire Rumanian army,. 1,000,000 strong, has been hurled against Russia, and it is estimated that about half of this force are already casualties. The Ist 10th, and 18th Infantry Divisions, it states, and the Ist and 4th Alpine Brigades have been completely routed. The fighting capacity of the Rumanians is low Many resort to mutilation and desertion. The Germans have not fulfilled the promise to arm the Rumanians with modem weapons, but they frequently break up Rumanian units, incorporate them in German divisions, and. send them to the most dangerous places. Voronezh and Northern Fronts The Germans are making greater efforts on the Voronezh front. At one stage they had made some progress, but the Russians later drove the enemy back and restored their lines. In the region of Voronezh Russian troops have pushed forward, killing 1200 enemy officers and men. On the western bank of the Don, after hours of artillery shelling, two battalions of Hungarians attacked Soviet positions. They were met by mortar and ma-chine-gun fire and were compelled to retreat, leaving on the battlefield several hundred killed and wounded. In local fighting on the Bryansk front the Russians routed a German attack and took up more favourable positions. One enemy infantry regiment. supported by one motorised infantry battalion, attacked Russian positions. Soviet troops launched a counter-attack and dislodged the enemy from one locality. A message from Moscow reports that Russian bombers and dive bombers have destroyed and damaged more than 660 German tanks in the last fortnight. They have also destroyed 3450 troop and ammunition lorries. 600 waggons, blew up 45 ammunition and 14 petrol dumps, and silenced 170 field and antiaircraft batteries. The Soviet communique states that during last week 369 German aeroplanes were destroyed. Russian losses were 241 aircraft.

Renewed Intensity Of Fighting

STRONG RUSSIAN RESISTANCE (Received August 17, 11 p.m.) LONDON, August 17.

A renewal of intensity in the German thrust towards Stalingrad is reported from Moscow. The latest Soviet communique reports fierce fighting in the Don elbow, and a supplement to the communique says German mechanised Infantry, tanks, and dive-bombers are fighting as never before to break through to the banks of the Don. There are no indications that the Germans have reached the river, but even if they have, they are still 40 miles frorri Stalingrad.

South-west of Stalingrad, in the Kotelnikov sector, the Germans are bringing un reserves. Russian reports

say that German attacks here have Deen repulsed, and that the Russian lorces have held their positions. Agency reports state that the Germans are nearer the Don than they . have been at any time during the wee weeks’ battle at Kletskaya, but . he Russian gunners before Stalingrad \ re reported to be holding their posi*7rvl ns ' n Volga basin, the Germans have thrown in huge tank forces in this area, but the persistency and ingenuity of the defence th the crook of the Don elbow clearly indicate that the Russians are unand are fighting back successfully enough to stave off a critical break-through. ■The position in the Don Elbow at Present is not clear beyond the fact that the Russians are undoubtedly holding the enemy. Some reports sugthat the weight of the German attack at this key point is being called S“• Other reports indicate intense nghtlng for the control of important heights.

At Kotelnikov the position is also ambiguous, but the Germans appear to have made some headway. The Germans are certainly keeping up their Pressure in the narrow sectors facing towards Stalingrad. The German drive on ,■ Stalingrad from the south-west has temporarily slowed down after the recent failure to break through the stubborn Soviet defence. The Germans are digging in north-east of Kotelnikov while awaiting reserves, but they are being given no rest by the Russians.