MORE WITHDRAWALS FRONT FIRM IN DON BEND BRITISH RATIONING

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 37, 12 August 1942, Page 5

MORE WITHDRAWALS

FRONT FIRM IN DON BEND

BRITISH RATIONING

REDUCED SHIPPING SPACE

(Rec. 10 a.m.) RUGBY, August 11. Announcing that biscuits would come under the "points" rationing system on August 23 and that the sweets and chocolate ration would be increased by one-third, the Minister of Food, Lord Woolton, said that the Government had succeeded in reducing shipping space, while keeping the nation fighting fit. He warned the public that with the demands on shipping what they ..were, he would have to make other reductions later. The supply of food must depend on the shipping available; and he ht'd just reduced his demands foi1 soacp because of the greater proportion reriuir-xl for direrM prosecution of the war. This did not necessarily mean a reduction in rations, because spacp was being saved by various methods, for instance, the boning of imported meat, which had enabled the meat ration to be maintained.—B.O.W.

Russians In Caucasus

LONDON, August 11. The Russians have made further withdrawals in the north Caucasus/but are holding firm opposite Stalingrad. • In southern Russia the situation is more clearly defined. The Germans are pushing- their advance in the area of the Caucasus and have gained more ground. They are being held in the more concentrated battle being fought on the upper Don for the approaches to Stalingrad. Tonight's messages indicate that the battle for Stalingrad is reaching a tremendous pitch "of intensity. The "News Chronicle" correspondent says that in the elbow of the lower Don. and north-east of Kotelnikovo the greatest armoured struggle of the war is developing. Big tank concentrations, motorised infantry, and large air forces are engaged on both sides, and in terrific clashes the enemy has made little if any impression on the Russian defenders. After three weeks of the most intensive fighting the enemy has not yet fought his way out of the elbow of the Don and over the river.

Both sides are making almost superhuman efforts. The Germans know that it is absolutely vital to get through to the Volga and are continuing to press on regardless of losses, but, desperately as they need Stalingrad, the Russians need it more desperately, and intend to hold it if that is humanly possible. In the Caucasus, the Russians have made some further withdrawals in the neighbourhood of Armavir. There is evidence that the main strength of the 17th German Army has been brought up about the line of the railway. There is no confirmation of the German claim to have completely occupied the Maikop oilfields, west of the line, and the "News Chronicle" says that, in fact, the German attacks in this area have been constantly repulsed. About the German advance to the other oilfields at Grozny there is no definite news today, though it is thought the enemy is trying to occupy the line of the north Caucasus foothills across to the Caspian. Further north, the Black Sea ports are 'in the news, and Berlin speaks of air force activity over Novorossisk and Anapa. The enemy claims to have sunk several transports carrying Russian troops.