Germans Close In On Stalingrad

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23745, 17 September 1942, Page 5

Germans Close In On Stalingrad

“SHEER EXHAUSTION” OF DEFENDERS (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright.) (Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, September 16. The Russians have yielded more ground west of Stalingrad after inflicting heavy losses on the Germans. The fighting continues on an unprecedented scale on the land and in the an*# but the Germans, greatly outnumbering the Russians, are slowly closing in on the city. After repeated fierce attacks west of Stalingrad, large concentrations of enemy infantry and tanks gained ground, states the Soviet Wednesday midday communique. South-west of the city the Germans have suffered heavy losses and have made no further progress. It is stated in Moscow that the chief danger at Stalingrad is not so much from German territorial gains as from the sheer exhaustion of the defenders, who are strained almost to the limit of human endurance. They have to face unremitting attacks, and are being mercilessly bombed, and even their reinforcements coming across the Volga are subjected to constant bombardment. In the Mozdok area of the Caucasus the Russians are still resisting the German tank forces which crossed the Terek river. They have repelled several enemy attacks and have destroyed a number of tanks. Russian marines are harrying German troops advancing south-east of Novorossiisk.

1 The claim of the Berlin radio that the main railway station at Stalingrad has been captured is questioned in London, where it is pointed out that the station is situated in the centre of the city. The German military authorities, however, claim that a heavy battle is raging inside Stalingrad to-night, beyond the point where the citys outer edge was penetrated three days ago—presumbly in the south-west sector* The Rome radio quoted a Berlin report to the effect that part of the German forces which have been working into the centre of -Stalingrad have reached the Volga and the city is now cut in half. ■ , ,„ ~. In an account of yeaterday’s fighting south-west of Stalingrad, the Mosaow correspondent of “The Times" says the enemy launched a series of simultaneous thrusts. Hundreds of dive-bombers opened the day’s operations in one sector where three severe night attacks had failed. But the Germans, in spite of a massive concentration, were able to push their line forward only a quarter of a mile at a cost of dozens of tanks, several battalions of mem-and also many aeroplanes. ,A' thrust in an adjacent sector failed, although the enemy attacked with a fresh infantry division and 20 tanks. A more critical situation developed on the right flank of this souths Western sector, where the Germans got shock troops intb a built-up area. Here positions of great tactical -: importance changed hands several times, with violent street fighting in which eacn side lost heavily.. The Russians held the locality at noon, . when a fierce air attack, in which hundreds of highexplosive bombs were dropped, enabled the enemy to pierce the western outskirts and consolidate, Russians Use Cavalry The Russians still possess reserves of defence. For instance, cavalry, hurled into action north-west of the city, succeeded in smashing two German attacks. The British United Press Moscow correspondent points out that this is the first mention of cavalry on this front for a fortnight and it ia regarded in, Moscow as indicating that they are part of the reinforcements moving to the. area, in conformity with the Russian determination to hold the city at all costs. , . According to the British United Press, the German air blows against the south-west sector of the city are described in Moscow as the greatest air raids of the war. The Germans are plastering the Russians section after section, and also smashing against Volga crossings and other communications to the rear. The correspondent states that the battle is how most critical for the Russians south-west of the city, and it is also developing dangerously in the north-west, where the Germans are sparing neither men nor tanks. The general impression in Moscow is that the Germans, regardless of cost, are slowly crawling forward. Though the Russian airmen are outnumbered, they are putting up a magnificent performance, bombing the enemy forward positions, * engaging mass flights of fighters, and attacking communications. Russian counter-attacks in the "borth have not yet gained sufficient force to be of assistance in relieving the pressure on Stalingrad, and those defending the city are faced with great difficulties of supply. All war materials have to come across the Volga, which is bridged only by pontoons,, which are subject to ceaseless bombing by the Luftwaffe. The Stockholm .correspondent of the “Daily Express" reports that Hitler sent Marshal von Bock nearly 1000 tanks three days ago. These are now under the command of General von Hoth, and are attacking _ Stalingrad from the north on a 10-mile front. Earlier Communique The Russian Tuesday midnight communique states that on Tuesday Soviet forces engaged the enemy to the west and south-west of Stalingrad, and in

area. There were no sulK stantial changes oh other sectors. The supplemept to the communque adds that west of Stalingrad the Russians met the enemy in heavy defensive actions, Repeated German tank • and' infantry attacks were beaten on. South-west of the city, wh.ere earlier reports indicated, that the position was serious; the Germans succeeded in advancing in one sector but the Russians counter-attacked* Andregained their lost positions. In the Mozdok area, where the Russians have been fighting to wipe out the German bridgehead over, the Terek-river and stem the drive to the Grozny! oilfields, the Soviet forces die. lodged the Germans from two places. North of the Stalingrad front, continues the supplement, the enemy attacked the Russians south of Voronezh, Russian infantry, artillery, and mortar units beat off the Germans. The Axis troops are continuing vain attempts to wipe out the Soviet bridgeheads west of the Don. On the central ftont the. Germans admit a local Russian break-through. A German counter-attack was repelled. Four thousand Germans were annihilated when the Russians dislodged the enemy from fortified positions in one sector on the Moscow front. Enemy Gains in Caucasus Berlin claims that the German attack in the Novorossiisk area is steadily gaining ground, and Moscow admits continued German penetration in the Mozdok region. “Red Star", admits that a large German tank group succeeded in crossing the Terek river in the Mozdok area. Soviet troops took up another defence line, and repulsed an enemy attack on it with heavy losses, The Germans have already attacked the new positions to which the Russians were compelled to withdraw after more enemy tanks bad been put, across the Terek.river. The Germans,/ however, are reported to have been; checked and to nave sustained heavy losses. Russian tanks are seeking to annihilate a group of German tanks which succeeded in penetrating one locality. The Berlin radio reflected German uneasiness regarding the central sector of the Russian front in announcing new and strong Russian attacks in the Rzhev area. Berlin has admitted that the Russians have broken through at one point supported by large-forma-? tions of tanks. It is reported from Ankara that Marshal von Bock has lost 100.000 killed. and wounded before Stalingrad. Some famous German regiments have been completely wiped out.