GERMANS GAIN GROUND

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 October 1942, Page 5

GERMANS GAIN GROUND

STALINGRAD DEVELOPMENTS ENEMY CLOSE TO VOLGA LONDON, October 19. The Germans have made further progress in the north-western part of Stalingrad, in spite of tough Russian resistance. To-day’s midday Soviet communique says: “After fierce fighting enemy infantry occupied the workers’ settlement in Stalingrad. Resistance was stubborn, and the enemy troops suffered heavy losses before they succeeded in forcing their way into the settlement.” The German capture of the workers’ settlement follows the occupation two days ago of the factory area in the same part of Stalingrad. There is still no Russian confirmation of German claims to have driven to the west bank of the Volga. Outside the city, to the north-west, the Germans launched several attacks, but all were beaten back with heavy losses. Russian artillery destroyed blockhouses and dispersed tank formations. The heavy German air bombardment of communications across the Volga continues. The German drive in the Mozdok area of the Caucasus is still held by determined Russian resistance. Several fierce enemy attacks were repulsed, and three companies of infantry and a number of tanks were destroyed. The German thrust towards Tuapse, on the Black Sea, is meeting with some success. South-east of Novorossiisk enemy forces broke through the Russian positions. The Moscow correspondent of “rhe Times” says: “The Germans, after driving a narrow salient into northern Stalingrad, are now attempting to drive north and south from the salient parallel to the Volga. They are making some progress in the southern drive, where a critical situation developed until a Russian flank attack restored the situation. Russian reports indicate that the situation did not deteriorate in the last 24 hours, up to Sunday midday, but the Germans are clearly in a strong position and have the river crossings under mortar and artillery fire. The Russians have reinforced the Volga flotilla. Even shabby old ferry boats and slow wood-burn-ing craft have been mobilised.” • “The Germans are perilously close to the Volga in northern Stalingrad. Thev have the Volga bank under direct fire, endangering the Russian ferries,” says the Moscow correspondent of the Columbia broadcasting system. German guns are carrying but a duel with Russian field guns mounted in steel barges which are towed by motor-boats. These small ships swarm close to the shore in surprise night attacks. The Russians call them “river tanks.” The Luftwaffe is again making mass raids on Stalingrad, and the Germans are relentlessly pounding the city in an attempt to pulverise the remaining defences.” “The Germans on Sunday threw their 3rd Infantry Division into the gap gouged on Friday by the capture of the workers’ settlement in the northern outskirts of Stalingrad,” savs the Moscow correspondent of the “Daily Express.” “The Germans have made 28 attacks since Friday night, all of which were repulsed. The twenty-ninth is now in progress. The Germans claim to have reached the Volga bank in three places. This is untrue, but it must be recognised that they are not far from the river.

RUMANIAN LOSSES

LONDON, October 18

“Presumably to allay increasing Rumanian unrest, interested parties are sedulously spreading the story that all the troops of Axis allies are being withdrawn from the Russian front this Winter, on the ground that they are not sufficiently reliable for defence, says the Lisbon correspondent of “The Times.” “While this is probably untrue, some form of soothing syrup Is needed in Rumania, which in spite of casualties conservatively estimated at 350,000 killed, wounded and prisoners, still has more than 20 divisions, totalling about 400,000 men, in Russia.” The correspondent refers to reports that General Antonescu is seriously ill and that the group led by Dr. Maniu (the peasant party leader) and Dr. Bratianu, are still active. He suggests that Germany might establish a protectorate if General Antonescu dies, RUSSIAN CLAIMS (10.14 a.m.) RUGBY, October 19. Soviet headquarters states that in the area of Stalingrad, fierce fighting continued. In one sector, enemy infantry- and tanks attacked our positions, and at the price of huge losses occupied one block. Several hundred of the enemy were killed and eighteen German tanks were destroyed. Our pilots shot down nine aircraft and AA batteries shot down five. North-west of Stalingrad, our troops waged fighting of local importance. Artillery dispersed the enemy infantry preparing to attack. On another part of the same front, three attacks were repulsed. In the area of Mozdok, enemy attacks were repulsed. Soviet marines made a landing behind the enemy lines on the Black Sea, inflicted losses and returned safely. wintrFweather. (Rec. 12.40 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 19. The Russians’ slender bridge across the Volga at Stalingrad was purposely built narrow to reduce the target. The bridge was hit only twice, and repaired in a few hours. The bridge passes two-way single file traffic. According to the Moscow radio, Finland has lost 300,000 men in the Russian war. The radio added that the Finns asserted they were fighting their own war, but they continue lighting with the Germans on the Don banks and in the Caucasus. The German International News Bureau, dwelling on the deterioration of the weather on the Russian front, said: “Cold rain swept over Stalingrad. Wintry conditions on the central front are preventing large-scale movement. Two thousand five hundred and eighty-three trains, carrying 1.162.000 tons of Winter equipment, including skis, arrived at Russia for the German Army.”

MASSED AIR ATTACKS

LONDON, October 19

Reports from Moscow, to-day suggest the Germans have the upper hand in the Stalingrad area at least temporarily, although costly fighting is ahead before the German Army can make good Hitler’s boast that Stalingrad will be taken. The renewed German assault against North Stalingrad is now in its sixth day. In it the Russians have suffered what the “Times’s” Moscow correspondent describes as the most merciless persistent air bombing the war has known. The Luftwaffe, without interruption, is attacking a narrow sector using 500 planes of all types, making at least a 1000 sorties daily, and sometimes 1600. Reports from Berlin say the Russians are massing for a renewed drive between the Don and Volga, north-west of Stalingrad, whereto Russian troops, tanks and artillery are continually moving up. Berlin is also continually emphasismg the major dimensions of the Russian movements in the Toropets area. The Luftwaffe for a fortnight maintained round the clock attacks against the Russian troops’ deployments in the whole region between Toropets and Kalinin, where a large scale Russian offensive can be expected. The Germans in capturing one block of buildings in Stalingrad lost 46 tanks, and about 5000 killed m

24 hours, says Reuter’s Moscow correspondent. SIBERIAN BORDER

(Recd. 11 a.m.) NEW YORK, Oct. 19. The Tokio official radio announced that strict restrictions, affecting residence and travel within the frontier area, have been put into effect along the Manchurian-Siberian border.