GERMAN GAIN AT STALINGRAD

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23756, 30 September 1942, Page 3

GERMAN GAIN AT STALINGRAD

Northern Suburbs , Penetration SOVIET SUCCESSES NEAR RZHEV ,

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright.) (Rcc. 11,30 p.m.) LONDON, September 29. The Russians admit new German penetration in tha northern suburbs of Stalingrad, where the situation is still tense. It is uncertain how much of the city has been taken by the Germans, but the Russians are still keeping the enemy away from the main line of communication—the Volga river. Northwest of the city the Russians advanced slightly. Soviet artillery at Stalingrad is inflicting heavy losses on the Germans. A Russian withdrawal in the Mozdok area of the Caucasus was reported in Monday night’s Soviet communique. Stubborn Russian resistance continues against the fresh German' drive in this area. During Monday night three enemy attacks near Mozdok were all held. The Russians last night reported gaining a little ground in the Novorossiisk area of the Black Sea coast. There are signs that the Russian move in the Rzhev area is gaining momentum. It began on Sunday with an attack on fortifications north-west of Rzhev. In 48 hours the Russians have retaken 25 localities, and captured a strategic and important height. German counter-attacks have been repulsed. The Soviet communique reports fighting in the Sinyaviho area, south-east of Leningrad. Earlier Russian reports said the Germans had penetrated the Russian lines in one part of this sector.

Russian troops north-west of Stalingrad have recaptured two populated places and reached the east bank of the Don. The whole area between the Volga and the Don is again ablaze. The Germans have been found to be deeply entrenched and well fortified. The Russians in one small sector destroyed 42 pillboxes before they could advance. “Pravda” says the Russians have improved their anti-tank technique in this area, putting enemy tanks out of action without support from their own tanks. Marshal Timoshenko is reported to be launching double relief offensives to ease the German pressure on Stalingrad, Reuter’s Stockholm correspondent says; “The Russians are keeping at their new attack south of Stalingrad, using forces brought across the Volga. The Russian relief offensive from the north-west has made headway, and somewhat relieved the strain on Stalingrad’s defenders, enabling the Russians to shift reinforcements across the Volga. “Conditions inside Stalingrad are clearly becoming still more difficult in spite of the gallant relief efforts. German infantry divisions and tanks flung against a workers’ settlement in north-western Stalingrad made progress in face of the bitterest opposition.” “The Germans are slowly penetrating and occupying the greater part of Stalingrad’s suburbs, especially in the south,” states the Stockholm correspondent of “The Times.” “Russian pressure north-west of Stalingrad shows no relaxation. Although it is not making tangible headway, it is engaging large enemy forces, inflicting heavy casualties and preventing regrouping.” The greatest single factor making possible tile Germans’ progress is the combination of bombers and artillery, which is pounding away as continuously as at Sebastopol, where it slowly reduced the rock defences. Stalingrad, however, does not possess rock. The Stalingrad garrison has fought off persistent attacks because it has had an equal, if not greater, mass of artillery, which has been most skilfully handled. New Frontal Attack “The Germans appear to have opened a new mass frontal attack on Stalingrad from the west, which for some days has been a very quiet sector,” says the “Daily Telegraph.” “The Red Air Force is attacking enemy concentrations west of the city.” The Stockholm correspondent of the “Daily Express” reports Marshal Timoshenko drew troops from Astrakhan for a counter-offensive south-west of Stalingrad, where the Germans are reported already to be yielding ground in the outlying suburbs. The Italian Stefani News Agency stated that the Russians are strongly fortifying Astrakhan, where they have constructed a secret underground oil pipe line. Marshal Timoshenko recently inspected Astrakhan, towards which a Rumanian and German column is progressing across the Kalmuck steppes.. “There are two battles at Stalingrad.” says the Moscow correspondent of "The Times.” “One is the battle of the houses and the other is the battle of the approaches. Big battles are raging between German tanks and the Russian artillery in fields, gardens, and broad roads at the city’s edge, sometimes as many as 100 tanks being involved.” A message from Moscow states that the Germans within Stalingrad are using at least two infantry and two tank divisions.

which was in support, lost 56 tank* and armoured cars. A Russian guards unit, which is holding a vital sector, destroyed 28 tanks, and is now stoutly holding the Germans. The Russians in another area took the offensive near a small height, improved their positions, and killed 300 of the enemy. The Vichy radio reported that the German High Command has unleashed the most violent air bombardment Stalingrad has yet suffered. v ’ Activity on Northern Fronts Heavy fighting, much of which is of trench warfare on the Flanders pattern, is reported in the Leningrad area, at Lake Ilmen, north-west, west, and south-west of Moscow, and at Voronezh. According to Russian re- # ports little territory has changed hands in any of these sectors.. The Russians have made more head - way in the Rzhev sector, north-west of Moscow. They have broken through the enemy defence line and in two days’ fighting have recaptured 25 places. More than 2000 Germans were killed. ‘ Prisoners were taken, and a large quantity of equipment captured. The Moscow radio reports that three German counter-attacks on Sunday were repelled on the Bryansk front, where the Russians also captured a height. The Soviet Air Force on this front destroyed many enemy fortified posts. The Paris radio declared that the Germans occupied Sinyavino, and also that one German column in the Caucasus had now passed Mozdok. According to a Stockholm report Marshal von Keuchler has succeeded Marshal von Leeb in the German command on the north Russian front. There are indications that he is preparing a gigantic offensive against Leningrad. The repeated Russian bombings of Koenigsberg are reported to be connected with the mass movement of reinforcements for Marshal von Keuchler’s armies. The Berlin radio reported violent air battles over Murmansk in the last two days. This air activity presumably links up with the recent arrival of a convoy at Murmansk. The Moscow radio said Russian tanks on the Voronezh front killed more than 100 Germans and smashed up pillboxes, gun positions, and armoured units in a thrust into the German defences. Russian tanks, advancing on the central front, defeated a group of heavy German tanks. The Russians, advancing on another sector of this . front, annihilated the headquarters of a large perman unit and killed many staff officers. The Moscow radio announced that a woman fighter pilot, Lieutenant Varelia Khomyakova, shot down a Junkers 88 bomber which approached a military objective by night.

Marshal von Bock has brought up reserves by land and air, and has restored the strength of his army to 1,000,000 men. Air squadrons have also been brought in from other fronts, and the Luftwaffe is making 1000 sorties a day.

The German losses are immense. One infantry division in the last 10 days lost 3300 men, 25 guns, and 65 machine-guns. A panzer' division.