TIGHTENING THE GRIP

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 March 1942, Page 5

TIGHTENING THE GRIP

RUSSIANS REPORT PROGRESS OREL-SMOLENSK SECTORS LONDON, March 16. • The Russians are st s adi ty tightening their encirclement ot Orel, says the l2 mites south-wort or Ol Orel is defended by a miniature Siegfried line. Blockhouses, minefields tank-gaps, and wire entanglements surround the outlying villages. The city is stocked with masses of supplies; enabling it to withstand a 10 Powerful Russian infantry and tank forces are striking heavily against Taganrog from the north-east, after a prolonged artillery bombardment. Russian ski troops are also attackin o Taganrog across the frozen. Sea o. A Almost violent battle is proceeding along a line between Rzhev and Byelyi, through which the Russians are attempting to break to reach the Vy-azama-Smolensk railway, says> the Berlin correspondent of the Stockholm newspaper ‘ Dagensnyheter. The Russians have passed Elnya and occupied Levikono and Glinka, respectively five and 11 miles from Elnya on the Smolensk highway. The Moscow radio said yesterday morning that another strongly-forti-•ied German position has fallen in i vicinity of Smolensk, where the ring seem to be closing around Yyazma. The Moscow radio says that Russia (has built up a tank force equal to anything the Germans can throw into the Spring campaign. Spring is near -nd the Red Army is ready to : still heavier blows against the enemy. A message from Kuibishev st, that five men were sentenced to d and eight others were sent to pricnfor 10 years for pillaging Socialist property.

FURTHER PROGRESS.

RUGBY, March 16

Reports from Moscow state the situation of the trapped. German Sixteenth Army is critical, with Russians capturing village after village, and narrowing the noose. More instances of surrender are reported in despatches from the front, while at other points the enemy’s resistance is becoming even more desperate. MOSCOW, March 15.

The Russians are reported to have broken through the German fortifica,ions in the Orel-Kursk-Kharkov zone, recapturing several populated daces. Tne advance is continuing hi the face of stubborn resistance. During last night no material .'flanges' occurred on the Eastern Front, says a Moscow communique. ,Cight hundred Germans were killed two days’ lighting on various secerns of tiie Leningrad front.

TWO MORE TOWNS TAKEN.

Rec. 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, March 16. Russian guards captured Kogdanova, 35 miles north of the SmolenskYiazma road, and Serebusje, midway jetween Dorogobuj and Viazma. The Moscow radio reported that the .•miser Krasnikaykaz attacked a Jerman-occupied island in the Black 3ca. It bombarded the fortifications, .ifter which a landing party raided the siand. The operation was carried out :i darkness; and the Germans were .ompletely surprised.

GERMAN PLANES CRASHED

RUGBY, March 16. To-night’s Russian communique states: Soviet troops waged offensive operations against German Fascist troops, and occupied several localities. On March 14, 28 German planes were destroyed, and on the following day 17 were destroyed. Our losses were five planes. On March 16, three German planes were shot down near Moscow. In the period March 8 to 14, 21a German planes were destroyed. Our losses were 57.