SEBASTOPOL HOLDS ON

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 June 1942, Page 5

SEBASTOPOL HOLDS ON

GERMAN TACTICS REVISED TENS OF THOUSANDS KILLED LONDON, June 18. The Soviet night communique says: “On June 17 our troops repelled fierce enemy attacks on the Sebastopol front. On other sectors of the front no important changes took place-” ... ~ General von Manstein is using all his reserves, including sappers and labourers, to break through in some sectors before Sebastopol. A Soviet rifle unit holding the road from the south checked six heavy German attacks, two of which were at night. The Germans, who had rushed dugouts in one sector, were later beaten back with the bayonet. The Vichy radio claims that Germans and Italians have advanced three miles nearer the centre of Sebastopol along the highway from, the south, also capturing the fortified monastery of St. George, seven miles south of Sebastopol. Russian warships continue to move in and out of Sebastopol harbour, replenishing supplies. The Germans are trying to block deliveries by mining the sea approaches from the air, but Beilin admits that the supply route remains open. The Germans at Sebastopol have almost unlimited reinforcements from their forces concentrated in the Crimea region for an eastern drive. One correspondent reports that tne spirit of the defenders has forced the Germans to revise their tactics. Previously they had left the attack -.o the artillery and the Luftwaffe. These tactics proved abortive and they tried massed tank attacks on a narrow front. These also were stopped by the Russian artillery. Next they tried sending in six or eight tanks togethei, but they were again repulsed by intensive gunfire and hand gienades. “The Germans have every advantage, but the Russians will die rather than surrender.” says the 8.8. C. observer (Mr. Paul Winterton.). “When the Germans commence their heavy shelling of the Russian positions, the defenders go to ground in deep trenches and underground caves. When the German infantry advances to the attack the Soviet forces come out and hurl the enemy back. The defenders have torn fearful gaps in the enemy forces, gaps that will be hard to fill. Tens of thousands of men have been killed and hundreds of enemy tanks have been destroyed in these terrific battles. The Germans have forced a small gap m the city s outer defences, but they have made no impression on the mam defensive lines, pnd the city’s defences are not seriously undermined.”

GERMAN CLAIMS. (Rec. 11.25 a.m.) LONDON. June 18. The Germans have thrown in 10 infantry divisions, also reinforced tank and plane formations, in a new assault against Sebastopol. “Pravda” says that despite the continuance of heavy German atiacxs in. the last 24 hours, the Russian defences at Sebastopol are still intact. Severe . fighting is . proceeding north and south of the city. A German communique claims that Axis infantry in hand to hand fighting stormed the main fortifications north of Sebastopol, including the Maxim Gorky fort which is Sebastopol’s most modern and strongest fort. KHARKOV LULL. (Rec. 11.25 p.m.) LONDON, June 18. A Moscow message says that German thrusts on the Kharkov front are noticeably weaker, after the heavy losses inflicted on von Bocks forces. The Berlin radio blames the weather for the slow down, declaring that heavy rains are making communications difficult. It claims that despite losses, von Bock _ still has left a good proportion of his original 30 divisions of first line armoured and infantry forces. The Moscow radio reports that the Russian Air Force, in a surprise attack on the Kalinin front, destroyed or damaged 20 aircraft, mostly Junkers ti oop-carriers.

U.S.A. LIBERATORS.

LONDON, June 13. An Ankara message states that the four American Liberator bombers which made forced landings in Turkey took off from an Egyptian aerodrome with 11 others. Their objective was the Ploesti oilfields, in Rumania, which they bombed practically as they pleased from a low level dropping bombs one by one on the big storage tanks and refineries, and causing enormous tires. It was the first all-American raid in Europe. The Stockholm correspondent of the “Daily Express” reports that American Liberator bombers have arrived at Sebastopol to reinforce the Rod Air Force, and have already been in action. They flew direct from Middle East bases.

(Received 12.25) ANKARA, June 18. It is learned that American Liberators dropped over 30 tons of high explosives and incendiaries at Plotesti. They had previously bombed Odessa harbour. where Rumanian and German forces are concentrating in readiness to reinforce the Crimea. * One American observer when over thd Black Sea witnessed the German bombardment of Sebastopol, which he described as worse than anything he saw at Pearl Harbour.

SITUATION REVIEWED.

(Reed. 2.27 p.m.) LONDON, June 18. The attack against hard-pressed Sebastopoi is clearly entering a critical state. The Germans, according to the "Berlin radio, are fighting m the heart of the Sebastopol fortifications, and have captured more important heights. Russian speedboats are rushing in reinforcements of marines to Sebastopol, but the radio claimed that a landing at Yalta was baulked, though some marines landed north of Kerch. There are no signs that a reduction of Sebastopol’s defences will be rapid, says “The Times’s” Stockholm correspondent. The Russians are attacking fiercely, and claim to have inflicted such losses on the Luftwaffe that its attacks have been reduced to one-seventh of its former strength, but all this cannot alter the general situation. A diversion to another sector is the only means of making the Germans loosen their grip on Sebastopol, and there is no indication of any diversion. : The sector between the Donets Basin and the sea is crammed with material, which could be brought into action any day for the inevitable effort to burst. through to the North Caucasian plain. The ground conditions in this area are better than rearer Kharkov. In the neighbourhood of the Sea of Azov, the ground is now the firmest of any front. _ ~ , Reports from Istanbul reveal that Axis preparations for an offensive across the Black Sea are well advanced. Bulgaria will be apparently the jumping off point- A considerable merchant fleet is massed at Burgas and Varna. Italian contingents arrived at Varna, ready to embark. On the Kharkov front, there appears to be a temporary stalemate. Reconnaissance attacks continue in I the Kursk and Bryansk regions, while -ding-dong thrust and counterthrust continues on the Volkhov front.

MOLOTOV’S CONFIDENCE.

RUGBY, June 10. M. Molotov asked for the ratification of the Anglo-Soviet Treaty and the agreement with the United States, in the Supreme Soviet. He emphasised the great importance of his negotiations in London and Washington, and the political and military importance of the agreement. He also said that the second front had received special attention. In conclusion, he said the hour of annihilation of German armies was approaching. The power of the Allies was growing and they were certain of final victory.