KURSK BATTLE

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 July 1943, Page 5

KURSK BATTLE

GERMAN THRUST WEAKENING RUSSIANS REGAIN GROUND LONDON, July 14. The latest Russian communique says that fierce fighting continued in the Byelgorod direction yesterday and Soviet units in' some sectors pressed back the Germans who had driven a wedge into the Russian positions. The enemy did not attempt any major operations in the Orel-Kursk direc10“The fact that the Germahs had to call off their attacks in . the OrelKursk direction on the eighth day of their powerful offensive is the best news the Russians have had this Summer,” says the Moscow correspondent of the Columbia Broadcasting System. He adds: “There are also indications that the battle is slackening in all sectors of the central front. “The Red Army is steadily wearing down Marshal von Kluge’s forces in the battle for the Orel-Kursk bulge, says Reuter’s Moscow correspondent. “Fighting went on all day Monday in all sectors in t-he north and south of the Kursk salient, but it was characterised by two outstanding facts; first, the Germans attacked with smaller forces and noticeably less vigour; and second, the Russian defences developed a tremendous come-back, exemplified by Russian Guards at Byelgorod recapturing their original lines.” Reuter’s correspondent adds: Ihe Battle of Kursk is not yet decided, but unless Marshal von Kluge is able to produce a military white rabbit from Hitler’s battered top hat it looks as though Goebbels had sound intuition when he pretended that the German offensive was not an offensive at all.” “VERY SEVERE REVERSE” (Recd. 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, July 14. It is becoming clear that the Germans are suffering a very severe reverse in their assault against the Orel-Kursk bulge, against which they

threw the heaviest armed strength employed in any battle. Commentators drawing attention to this, suggest the general public, in justifiable admiration for the Allied feats of arms in Sicily perhaps do not realise the significance of what is happening in Russia. “The Times’s” Stockholm correspondent points out that while losses in men and material were heavy on both sides, the important fact is that the German enterprise failed and it is the first failure of any German Summer offensive in Europe. The Germans did not succeed in breaking into the Russian positions, or removing the great Kursk bulge, which remains as inconvenient and as dangerous as previously. “The Times” continues: Information from Moscow and Berlin clearly indicate the finish of the first German aggressive stage of the battle. However, desperate fighting continues in the Byelgorod area; tank battles here continue on a vast scale, with the Germans vainly seeking to hammer a deeper dent in the Russian defences. Latest Berlin newsagency reports state that the tank battle surpasses in violence and extent anything hitherto known. A Russian military spokesman declared that the Russians were gradually getting the upper hand in the Byelgorod area. The Red Army is sending in substantial tank reinforcements, and constantly attacking the heavily fortified flank positions against German wedges. These attacks are increasing in frequency and reduced the pressure the Germans were able to exert at the tips of the wedges. •’•fe ' Reuter’s Moscow correspondent states that the Byelgorod battle raged furiously to-day. The interlocked armies swayed to and fro. Places changed hands frequently. Hitler is estimated to have thrown one million men, 2500 planes and four thousand tanks, into the battle for the Kursk salient. The British United Press Moscow correspondent declared that the Russians wrested the initiative from the Germans, and appear to be on the way to forcing a decision along the whole 165 miles front between Orel and Byelgorod. GERMANS RAIN "rugby, July 14. Moscow reports a heavy Russian counter-attack in the Byelgorod area. Tank reinforcements have been used and the Germans have been thrown back from a number of their forward positions in the wedge they had driven into the Russian lines. The Germans have stated that their attacks have been stopped by heavy rain. The Germans also speak of Russian attacks east and north of Orel, and admit broaches of their defences, but their is no news from Moscow of this.