BATTLE FOR KHARKOV

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 May 1942, Page 5

BATTLE FOR KHARKOV

RUSSIANSJ’USH ON COUNTER-ATTACKS DEFEATED LONDON, May 21. To-day’s Soviet mid-day communique says that offensive operations in the direction of Kharkov continued during the night. There is no Russian confirmation oi a Berlin radio report of repeated Russian attacks in the Taganrog sector, on the shore of the Sea of Azov. The 'Berlin radio said: “Apparently designing to forestall an expected. German drive to the Caucasus, the Russians have launched heavy attacks near Taganrog, where fierce fighting is progressing.” This morning s front line dispatch to Moscow describes how the Russian forces on the Kharkov front are still pressing forward in spite of the masses of heavy armoured vehicles the Germans are throwing into the battle.

The Soviet midnight communique says: “On Wednesday our troops waged offensive operations on the Kharkov front, repelling enemy counterattacks and advanced. On the IzyumBarvenkova front out troops are repelling enemy attacks. On the Kerch Peninsula fighting continues in the eastern part. On Tuesday, 27 German aeroplanes were destroyed. Our losses were 12 aeroplanes. In the Barents Sea three enemy transports, totalling 26,000 tons, have been sunk.” The British Broadcasting Corporation observer in Moscow (Mr. Paul Winterton) says that in spite of all the Germans can do there is no question that the Soviet offensive is proceeding successfully. A dispatch to “Red Star” from the front yesterday afternoon said, that the Russians had broken up a fierce new enemy tank attack, which resulted in the routing of panzer divisions which attempted to breach the Russian lines. Soviet infantry stood firm under attack. Fierce anti-tank fire and a counter-attack by Russian tanks resulted in the enemy being driven back with the loss of 70 tanks.

GERMAN LOSSES (Reed. 9.50 a.m.) LONDON, May 21. A Moscow communique states: Germans on the Kharkov front, disregarding enormous losses, are unsuccessfully counter-attacking in the attempt to hold up the Russian offensive. The Russians killed over seven hundred in one sector alone. The Russians in one sector of the Leningrad front cut the road between two German strong points of resistance, and the enemy counter-attack cost him six hundred troops. Russian artillery on the northwestern front is pounding the enemy day and night, destroying men and war material. TANK ENCOUNTERS. (Rec. noon) LONDON, May 21. The Russians last night continued their offensive operations in the vicinity of Kharkov. The Russian forces at some points penetrated the Kharkov defences to a depth of 40 miles. The “Pravda” correspondent reports that the fields round the city are a blazing inferno, with crippled Nazi tanks staggering blindly out ol the battle, and panzer divisions locked so inextricably with Russicin tanks that the planes of either side can no longer bomb, or distinguish friend from Joe. A Moscow communique states that fighting is at its height on the eastern part of the Kerch Peninsula. The Mayor of Moscow warns the people to be prepared for further German raids. He said that the city’s air defences were stronger than ever. There has been no alert in Moscow lor two months. The Berlin radio docs not refer to the Kharkov front. It claims that German tank divisions advanced considerably in the central sector, and that Russian counter-attacks failed.

IN THE CRIMEA (Recd. 2 p,m,) LONDON, May 21. The Berlin radio claims that the Germans captured Yenikal Fortress, wherewith the Russians had covered their evacuation. SUCCESSES IN THE NORTH. LONDON, May 21. A Moscow dispatch says that the Russians, supported by heavy artillery, launched a new thrust north oj Karelia, where they pierced the first line of the German defences, and advanced sixteen miles. As the result of this offensive, the Red Army cut off the main German highway northwards, and also pierced the enemy s flank in north Karelia and bypassed the second line of defence. The Germans threw in all their reserves as well as units, hastily brought from other sectors. German-Finnish casualties totalled 3000. Guerrillas have driven the _ Germans from a White Russian city ol 70,000 inhabitants.

GOERING’S CONFESSION LONDON, May 20. “This war is the hardest many has ever had to fight,” said Goering in a speech. “There are two fronts——the external and home fronts. The Winter campaign has been terrible. Tne Fuehrer has suffered deeply for his troops, but he knew he must not yield. We had to hold the front. Only those who have experienced this know what it cost. There was a veritable stream of bad news from the Russian front during the Winter campaign. The Russians penetrated to our rear on every front. Guerrillas blew up railways and cut off our supplies. The terrible cold almost froze our troops. The weather also interefered with our railway communications. Our front was cut off from munitions, food, and clothing for days. “The men and women on the home front must understand that sometimes by harshness only can triumph be achieved. The last harvest was bad. We need more rain for the coming harvest. It is necessary for armament workers to go on straining every nerve. We must become harder until victory is won. Our war decrees must be obeyed. Your leaders know what is necessary. They do everything for you and have a right to expect you to do what they ask.” Goering added: “This war must be fought to an end, and at the end there will be victory. That is all that matters. Do you think that Providence would play such silly tricks as to give us a great leader, who has saved us and led us to greatness, only to let us fall back into the abyss? The German people's confidence and faith will help us achieve victory.”

U.S.A. PLANES DELIVERY. (Rec. 1.15) NEW YORK. May 21. Russia will not permit the delivery of planes from the United States to Siberia, via Alaska, says the “Daily News’s” Washington correspondent. Alaskan bases are prepared, and the Army and Ah- Force ferrying commands are ready to use this route, but the Soviet reaction was -not quite “sympathetic.” Mr. Roosevelt and Mr. Hull are anxious to avoid the longer and more dangerous Murmansk route, for planes being sent to Russia, but they understand that the Soviet cannot afford to fight on two fronts, so the route across the Bering Sea will not be used until the Japanese attack Russia, or both the Murmansk and Persian Gulf routes are severed.