Heavy Fighting Near Rzhev

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23811, 3 December 1942, Page 5

Heavy Fighting Near Rzhev

MOPPING UP IN THE SOUTH

(N.Z Press Association—Copyright) 11 I’ ” 1 -) LONDON, Dec. 2. The Russians report steady progress both in the Don area before Stalingrad, and on the central front around Rzhev. In the Don area, in spite of desperate German counterattacks, Marshal Timoshenko’s forces are still biting into the German positions. It seems that the Russians are drawing tight an inner net round the enemy near Stalingrad, while at the same time further developing their advances north-west and south-west of the city. Correspondents say the Russian job in this area now is the piecemeal wiping out of all the enemy forces held in this area, where enemy casualties in the last five days have been 20,000.

On the central front, according to to-day’s Soviet communique, the Russians have kept up their attacks during the night. Several more villages, including one stronglv fortified place on the Rzhev-Vyazma railway, have been ‘ captured. Rzhev itself now appears to be isolated from the main German forces to the south-east. The Russians are reported to have a foothold in the northern suburbs and to be driving on the town from the west and south.

The central front offensive has broken the German main winter line in at least four places, through which hundreds of Russian tanks are pouring to the more open country beyond.

The German first line of defence on the central front is a chaos of snow intermingled with earth, littered with fragments of blown-up fortifications, say 3 the Moscow radio, which claims that the enemy is retreating to iys second line. Soviet tanks and infantry are passing through wide gaps in the first line, and artillery has opened a hurricane of fire against the enemy’s rear. German long-range guns are vainly trying to cut off the Soviet infantry from their tanks in order to gain time to fortify the second line. The Germans are doing their utmost to avoid battle, but the Russians are forcing them to fight in the open fields, and continue to drive the enemy from fortified villages. The Stockholm correspondent of "The Times" says: “Rzhev is as tough as ever, but is in a desperate plight. Heavy Russian guns are battering the elaborate underground defences. The Russian onrush has penetrated far into the hard crust. of the defence zone, but has not yet reached the softer, open country.” Critical Battles near Rzhev

With the battle for Rzhev having . Uttered a decisive stage and the Red * k'.yny already in charge of some ' of the city, “Red Star" states ' that Hitler has sent a message to the Rzhev command stating that the “loss of Rzhev would be equal to the loss of half Berlin.” The German commanders in this area are urging their troops to defend their positions to the last man. Fresh fighting is reported west of Rzhev, where 1000 Germans were killed in 24 hours. Reuter's correspondent in Moscow reports that the Germans on the whole of the central front have been ordered not to retreat in any circumstances. Special machine-gun detachments have been posted to fire on any units attempting to move back. The fighting has reached a high pitch of savagery, adds the correspondent. Moscow dispatches indicate that some of the strongest German concentrations are in the Rzhev and Velikye Luki sectors. Sensational Russian advances are not expected. The Moscow correspondent of “The Times,” nevertheless, reports that the Russians are fanning out in the rear of the German defences, and are continuing to progress satisfactorily. However stubbornly the enemy resists, he is gradually being rolled back from Rzhev, which is the main buttress of the left flank. Apparently the Russian offensive around Rzhev has encircled the town by cutting the railway connexion with Vyazma, and Velikye Luki is apparently in danger of encirclement. Russian forces are reported to be massing opposite the German left flank on the Vyazma-Smolcnsk railway. The Russians captured a letter from the commander of the 9th German Panzer Division asserting: "The situation is critical. The Russians, after cutting the railway, are attacking from all sides. Help is wanted to-day. especially anti-tank guns. To-morrow will be too late.” In a terrific blizzard, with giant Voroshilov tanks and guns camouflaged white for operation on the snow-coy-ered countryside, the Russians are furiously attacking Rzhev, where power-fully-fortified German hedgehogs are fighting desperately, states a correspondent in Russia. Latest reports indicate a sharp German reaction to the Russian threat to their central salient. The Red Army has severed the railway communication, on which the Germans in Rzhev have been relying since the main line from Riga was cut last year. Two more great Russian drives are expected to be launched at any moment. Mr Morley Richards, the “Daily Express” military wjriter, states that these new drives will be aimed to relieve Leningrad and to drive the Germans back into White Russia through Smolensk. The Russians have succeeded in occupying more places, and in fighting on

Resistance Expected

BOSTON NIGHT v CLUB FIRE mEGLECT OF SAFETY MEASURES BLAMED OUeIV P™.) BOSTON, Dec. 1. 'ririi&'death roll in the Boston night cbwfaAyloE i? increasing almost hourly. Tt iPjfyb/- 482. Four hundred and of the dead have been i.i.’ One hundred and seventythre/ngpersons are still in hospital. A grand jury j s investigating the tragedy.

CONSTITUTION OF AUSTRALIA

TRANSFER OF POWERS TO COMMONWEALTH

FINAL AGREEMENT

Mr Rybert Moulton, secretary of the National Fire Protection Society, said that the tragedy was clearly caused by gross violation of several fundamental principles of fire safety. He pointed out that after the Chicago theatre fire of 190.3, safely provisions for theatres had boon introduced, These were not applicable to night clubs, which were more dangerous because they were commonly located in old buildings and violated practically every known fire safety rule.

The Licensing Board, on the recommendation of Mr Leverett Saltonstall, Governor of Massachusetts, has imposed a complete ban on all dancing and floor shows, cafes, restaurants, hotels, taverns, and other resorts, pending the outcome of the night club fire inquiry.

Changeable Weather

Uruguayan President Elected. — Senor Juan Jose de Amezaga, who was backed by the Administration, has been elected President of Uruguay for the term 1943-47. He received 207.472 votes. Senor Luis Alberto de Herrera, an isolationist, and Sonor Amezaga's closest opponent, received 110,440 votes. There were five candidates.—Montevideo, Dec. 1.

the lower Don 44 German tanks were destroyed and quantities of war material captured.

The encircled Germans in the south have now only two alternatives—surrender or death, according to a British Broadcasting Corporation correspondent in Moscow. The Germans are fighting bitterly to escape the encircling Russians and are counter-attacking west of Stalingrad. In Stalingrad itself, the Russians are continuing to throw the enemy out of one strong point after another, and they are taking ruin by ruin. The Russians in the factory area of Stalingrad are still retaking the city ruin after ruin, in spite of tht 1 Stubbornness of the German resistance. The Volga is freezing rapidly. Barges, continuing to brave winter conditions far later than is customary, are still ferrying ammunition and food to the city. The sailors are often forced to leap from their craft and hack at the ice floes to clear a way for the vessels.

Returning from Stalingrad the barges carry thousands of shabby and unkempt German prisoners shivering in looted women’s shawls and furs. These Germans are now getting their first glimpse of the river they were told long ago they must cross. South-west of Stalingrad, the Germans are fighting stubbornly to try to stem the Russian advance along the railway to Kotelnikov, but the advance continues.

The correspondent of “The Times” also reports that the situation of the encircled Germans before Stalingrad is becoming more critical as Russian tanks and cavalry push deeper into the Don line from the west. There is so far no indication of a German attempt to burst out of the envelopment or of approaching reinforcements, although transport aeroplanes are streaming to the Stalingrad front carrying food and munitions.

Other sources'gave a warning that General von Hoth’s army remains a hard nut to crack. The absence of a German High Command order to retreat from Stalingrad is interpreted in some quarters as foreshadowing a large-scale counter-offensive. Meanwhile, the Russians continue to drive the enemy further along the railway away from Stalingrad to the south-west, thus further widening the gap between the encircled Germans and their prospects of relief. A message from Moscow states that the railway between Tikhoryetskaya and Stalingrad is blocked by trains captured from the Germans during the southern offensive. Many of the trains are loaded with food. Long linos of heavy guns, also trucks, including French, Belgian, and Polish makes, have been captured. Surprise is expressed in London that while the German army which is hemmed between the Volga and the Don west of Stalingrad is making attempts in the city no attempt has been made to relieve it by counterattacks outside the circles, states a British Official Wireless message. The conviction persists that the enemy is unlikely to allow so large an army to be gradually destroyed without making a great effort to save it. It is thought unlikely that the forces assaulting Stalingrad have been able to organise hedgehogs on the scale equal to those established on the northern part of the front last winter.

(Rec. 11.10 p.m.) CANBERRA. Dec. 2. The Australian Constitution Convention has reached final agreement on the transfer of State Government powers to the Commonwealth Government for post-war reconstruction. Every State Premier has agreed to recommend the transfer in his own Parliament. The powers recommended for transfer affect the following: the reinstatement and advancement of servicemen and their dependants; employment and unemployment; organised marketing: uniform company legislation; profiteering and price control; control of overseas exchange and investment: air transport; uniformity of railway gauges: and national health. The High Court will settle any dispute over the interpretation of the powers transferred. Once transferred, powers cannot be revoked without a referendum to the people of the state affected.

However fickle the climate, public confidence remains firm in Baxters Lung Preserver. For over 80 years "Baxters” has been the most popular remedy for coughs, colds, sore throats, and bronchial troubles. To-day “Baxters” is more popular than ever. The unique properties of "Baxters" include a marked tonic action. —1