SOVIET SUCCESS IN KUBAN

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23940, 6 May 1943, Page 5

SOVIET SUCCESS IN KUBAN

Enemy Withdraws From Krymskaya HEAVY GERMAN AIR ATTACKS

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, May 4. Admitting the evacuation of Krymskaya, an Axis stronghold in the Kuban the Berlin radio stated; ‘‘After repelling for four days uninterrupted Russian assaults against the German positions east of Krymskaya, the German Command withdrew its formations to more strongly fortified positions west of Krymskaya. Military installations were destroyed and supplies cleared out of Krymskaya before the town was evacuated.” Krymskaya is situated on the main line to Novorossiisk, at the strategic entrance to the mountain roads and tunnels leading to Novorossiisk. Moscow correspondents estimate that the Germans have lost 15,000 troops in the Kuban in the last five weeks, as well as 600 aeroplanes and hundreds of guns. The Germans are reported to be rushing reinforcements to the Kuban from the Crimea. Waves of German bombers are attacking strong Russian forces which have established beachheads on the Black Sea coast near Novorossiisk. The Berlin radio says that 200 bombers and dive-bombers are pounding the Russians. The Moscow radio says that in air battles west of Krasnodar at the week-end 54 German aeroplanes were shot down for the loss of 21 Russian aeroplanes. A Soviet communique says: “Serious battles are taking place north-east of Novorossiisk. The Soviet Air Force has sunk two enemy transports in the Barents Sea.” The supplement to the communique says: "There is hand-to-hand fighting in

several sectors in the Kuban, and the enemy has suffered severe losses of manpower and material. Russian aeroplanes supporting the ground forces bombed enemy positions. One Soviet pilot shot down three enemy fighters and another destroyed two German, bombers. Yet another Soviet fighter, escorting bombers, attacked a group of enemy fighters and shot down two.

"The Soviet Air Force on May 3. on various fronts, destroyed or damaged 50 lorries carrying troops and supplies, blew up an ammunition dump and an oil dump, silenced nine batteries, and dispersed and partly wiped out two companies of infantry.” Berlin has been putting out reports all day that the fighting for the German brideghead in the Kuban has been increasing in intensity hourly, with the Russians throwing in large forces of infantry, tanks, artillery, and aircraft. The Paris radio announced to-day that Russian aeroplanes raided the Black Sea port of Constanza, causing slight damage and some civilian casualties. Two were shot down.

MASS AIR RAIDS BY RUSSIANS

RAIL JUNCTIONS IN GERMAN REAR

(Rec. 10.30 p.m.) LONDON, May 5. The Moscow radio has announced that long-range Soviet bombers on May 1 and 2 made mass raids on the railway junctions of Gomel, Minsk, Orsha,' and Bryansk, scoring hits on crowded troop trains and also on ammunition and fuel dumps, causing large fires.

WORK OF jS t .Z. WAR ARTIST

BRITISH MINISTER’S PRAISE

EXHIBITION IN LONDON (Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 7 p.m.) LONDON, May 4. “Captain Mclntyre’s pictures should certainly be bought at the highest possible price and sent to galleries in New Zealand,” said the Minister of Information (Mr Brendan Bracken) opening an exhibition of pictures from the Middle East at the National Portrait Gallery. “They show New Zealanders in action and the toughness of those soldiers, and there are no finer in the world,” he said. "Of that little country it may be said that as a fighting and spiritual force it animates the whole British Empire. They are very good pictures. I hope we shall see a lot more before the war is over.”

The Minister was commenting on five pictures by Captain Peter McIntyre, the New Zealand war artist. They are the first of Captain Mclntyre’s work to be shown in London. They have won the highest praise, some critics expressing the opinion that they are outstanding and dominate the exhibition. They are entitled “New Zealanders at Fort Capuzzo,” “The New Zealand Anti-Tank Regiment at Sidi Rezegh,” “Tank Battle at Bir el Hamed,” “Tobruk.” and “Convoy Under Shellfire.”

With detail, sense of action, and colouring, they give a vivid impression of the life and conditions of the men serving in the desert. Most of the paintings are by South African and British artists. They include portraits of General Smuts. Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder, Air Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham, General Sir Claud Auchinleck. The New Zealand High Commissioner (Mr W. J, Jordan) and Brigadier R. S. Park attended the opening. i Mr Brendan Bracken said he hoped 4he exhibition would be seen in South Africa and New Zealand. “It is one of the toughtest art exhibitions we have ever had the opportunity of looking at,” he added.

BRITISH DECORATIONS FOR RUSSIANS

LONDON, May 4. History was made in Moscow when the British Ambassador (Sir Archibald Clark Kerr) handed to M. Molotov, the Soviet Foreign Commissar, a number of decorations for Russian fighting men, the first to be awarded by Britain to Russians. Among 12 Russians who received the D.5.0., were a number of young major-generals, who had already been decorated by the Russian Government for distinguished conduct in the field.

U.S. AND MARTINIQUE NAVY TO EXERCISE JUDGMENT

LONDON, May 4. The United States Secretary of State (Mr Cordell Hull) said yesterday, according to a message from Washington, that the United Slates Navy would exercise the controlling judgment in future matters affecting Martinique.