ENEMY NEARER STALINGRAD

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23740, 11 September 1942, Page 5

ENEMY NEARER STALINGRAD

Advance From West Along Canal RUSSIANS PREPARE DEFENCES ' (N.Z.P.A.?—8.0.W.) (Rec. 11 p.ra.) * LONDON, Sept., 10. The battle draws nearer to Stalingrad. The Russians have been driven out of two more vicinities in the western approaches of the city. To-day’s Soviet midday communique reports fighting west and south-west of Stalingrad and in the regions of Novorossiisk and Mozdok. T The Germans are advancing in successive waves along the Volga-Don canal. They are being constantly reinforced, and are bringing greater pressure to bear on the Russian defences. While the Russian forces were withdrawing, attempts were made to disrupt them, but they maintained order and established themselves in new defence fines. Russian resistance continues south-west of Stalingrad, where all recent enemy attacks have been repulsed, some of them with very heavy losses of Rumanian infantry. Street fighting in the suburbs of Novorossiisk is reported in the Soviet communique. Earlier reports stated that the Germans drove wedges into the Russian positions from two, directions. These joined forces but were later split again by the Russians, who then set about wiping out one of the forces, which they had encircled. In the Mozdok area the German bridgeheads across the Terek river are beng hammered by the Russians.

The Stalingrad drama is taking a grave turn as the Germans edge towards the city from the west. They are striving to deepen the wedge along the Don-Voiga canal, which leaves the Don about 10 miles south; of Kalach and enters the Volga about 10 • miles south of Stalingrad. The Germans are also progressing north of the canal across an open, unwooded steppe. The Moscow correspondent of The Times” says: “It is a sign of Marshal von Bock’s respect for the Red Array that' he did not attack from the west until he had embarrassed the Russians north and south of the present line of attack. He would not risk running' into a sack because what happened before Moscow is something to avoid in future. , . ' “The third day of the new German drive finds the defence still checking the main advance, although withdrawing slowly as the Luftwaffe blasts a way for the ground forces, whi6h are maintaining the rapid tempo, of their attacks by constantly throwing in reserves. which now include Italians and Rumanians. The enemy is still firmly held south-west of Stalingrad, ; alr. though the pressure there is. increas-; Russian Confidence The whole tone of the Soviet press shows growing confidence in the Red Army’s ability to save Stalingrad.. The Russians are working ceaselessly to improve the deep network of trenches/ minefields, and pill-boxes west * of Stalingrad. They have built up a vast hedgehog of guns and mortars. The Zurich correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says: “In spite of intensive German air, reconnaissance the Russians have sedretly reinforced Stalingrad. A Wilhelmstrasse spokesman declared; ‘We dq tidt“know‘even now whence came the/Russians'"who have relieved Stalingrad., s|hey are absolutely fresh and well-equipped divisions, so they could not have been withdrawn from the Rzhev area,’ ” An earlier message said the Red Army was still holding the German drives, although the' Russians were forced to .withdraw to 'new lines in one small* sector, west of the city. “Red Star” states that a number of fresh German troops, tanks, and aeroplanes attacked this sector and forced' the Russian infantry and artillery back to new positions. A German communique, apparently referring to this same sector, states that German tank forces in the fortified area of Stalingrad broke through stubbornly defended positions, and after bitter fighting, captured dominating heights immediately west of Stalingrad. It is a tribute to the Russians that Marshal 'von Bock’s terrific concentration of aeroplanes, tanks, guns, and men—perhaps the greatest in military history—is averaging only " slightly more than 10 miles a day. The Germans are employing every device of mpdern war—dive-bombers, fighterbombers, heavy bombers, and cannon and machine-gun firing fighters, field 'artillery, mortars ranging up to the newest giant hurling one-ton projectiles. flame-throwers and the usual fearful panoply of tanks armoured with machine-guns and light cannon, and armoured troop-carriers from which emerge Tommy-gunners and grenadiers with masses of conventional infantry following up. The Red Army has been called upon for a supreme effort, and extensive minefields confront the enemy. Grenadiers, machine-gun detachments, and two-man anti-tank rifle teams bar the Axis path, supported by concentrations of Russian field artillery and antiaircraft artillery. “Izvestia,” admitting German air superiority at Stalingrad, said: “German aeroplanes are literally hanging over our front line and bombing our positions. Russian troops are using dug-out shelters from which to rise up and meet the German land forces with fierce fire.” The Stockholm correspondent of “The Times” says; “The Germans north-west of Stalingrad are probably stili in a precarious position. The latest German reports stated they were in grave danger at the week-

end. Mobile units had struck Tepidly from the Don towards the Volga, but Russian armoured unifs closed! in. after which the German spearhead was ' attacked from all sides.. Even- . '. tually a convoy smashed through with hadly-needed ammunition tor the encircled force.” ' Heavy Engagements in Caucasus 1 The third day of 'bitter street fighting is'raging in a settlement in the NOvorossiisk area, where the Germans have driven a deep wedge in the Russian defences. Red Army, marines, are ; holding oh,: but the position is tor ■ creasingly difficult. The Russians an-, nounce that the,* battle for NoVoroS- •, silsk continues, the enemy suffering heavily in the hilly, surrounding country. ;>* : vf. A Stockholm message -say the Germans claim that detachments ‘.which ■ landed ‘W iKe night of September 1 at *. Mikh£ild\sk, have. now occupied the ; ‘ part , of the road between , Tuapse' and Mikhailovsk, The battle in the fitozdok area is now on ta large scale on both sides of the Terek river; where hundreds of tributaries thread the wooded loothills. The Germans, have established , a second bridgehead on sbuff) bank of the. Terek river. This 'is , hemmed in like the first bridgehead. . The Moscow correspondent of ia(; ■ ■ British United Press sayfi the-Red Air.. Force went into' .action as the Germans attempted to m6ve on from thei , south bank of the Terek river to en- * circle the town. Russian bombs caused a landslide,, blocking* a valley ■ in which 25 tanks and 250 lorries were wrecked, and 500 soldiers killed. The . Germans retreated into the ’ forest, . , which the Russian set on fire, driving .the Germans into the open, where, .. they were attacked again. Another, 4 German force attempted a quick thrust .* along the north hank of the Terek . river, bujt_,the Red • Air. Force shat- *• tered the column. * ' Moscow reports that the Russians , have recaptured the second of three " villages the Germans seized on sihe south bank of a' river in the Mozdok area. _The * Russians on the north bank are fighting .vigorously. The* Russians broke the German line on one sector 1 west of Moscow, and advanced several miles, Russian ; artillery breaking-down strong enemy ■} fortifications. Oh the. Kalinin front, where a village was retaken, 250 Germans were Wiled, . The Moscow radio claimed that the > Russians, advancing locally on the Leningrad front, reoccupied one • inhabited , place and repelled several counter-attacks. . Russian guerrillai operating in the swamps and barrep hills of the tundra beyond the Arctic ■ Circle are boldly 'raiding enemy lines of communication. , A Russian special.- communique states: “In the period from May J to' August 31 Soviet forces routed' 73 enemy divisions, annihilating more ' than 70 per cent, of their fighting ■effectives. Another 21 enemy divisions lost between 40 and 50 per cent. of . their effectives. “In the same period 42 Soviet rifle divisions *and 21 brigades, including 14 tank brigades, suffered considerable losses."