SEBASTOPOL SIEGE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20824, 1 July 1942, Page 3

SEBASTOPOL SIEGE

DESPERATE STAND SLIGHT NAZI GAINS ENORMOUS PRICE PAID “ (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright.) (11.30 a.m.) LONDON, June 30. Heavy fighting on several sectors of the Russian front was reported in last night’s Soviet communique, which states that on Monday Russian troops on the Kurch front successfully repelled strong enemy tank attacks. On the Sebastopol front, Soviet troops repelled several attacks by numerically superior enemy troops. The enemy threw into battle new reserves and at the price of enormous losses succeeded in making a slight advance. The fighting is of a particularly severe character. No important changes occurred on other sectors of the front. A supplement to the communique further indicated the desperate nature of the fighting round Sebastopol, where, it is stated, the Germans continue their attempts to break the resistance of the heroic defenders, some of whom find themselves thrown entirely on their own resources, by flinging into the unceasing battle great numbers of tanks supported by planes. One Red Army man himself destroyed three tanks with an anti-tank gun. At another point, a small group of 13 Russians were surrounded by tanks but put three out of action and regained their own lines without the loss of a man. Partisans’ Activities The work of partisans in the Briansk and Orel areas is described. In the former sector, after escaping encirclement, a partisan group seized the opportunity to counter-attack and killed over 4000 Germans. At Orel, partisans caused a number of casualties by derailing a military train. The Germans, in the twenty-fourth days of the siege of Sebastopol, were unable to make decisive headway, although new forces were engaged, says The Times’ Moscow correspondent. The defenders know the gravity of their situation, but are also aware that every day they hold out acutely embarrasses the German command. ~ The Moscow radio estimates that the Germans have already lost over 50,000 men during the siege and also used up 200 tanks, hundreds of planes, and 50 train loads of bombs. It adds that the German 22nd, 50th, 132nd, and 72nd infantry divisions were wiped out. The Times’ Stockholm correspondent reports fierce fighting throughout the night at Sebastopol. The Axis pounding apparently reached its maximum possible weight last week, although the present abatement is only relative and the Germans and Rumanians continue to tighten the aic foot by foot at tremendous cost. Advance Slowed Down The Times' Moscow representative says that General von Bock’s gradual advance eastwards on the Kharkov front has apparently slowed •down The Oskol barrier still holds. lne Russians three times beat off the Germans when they attempted to force the river and capture the railway station on the east bank. ~ The Moscow radio reports that the Russians on one sector of the Kharkov front counter-attacked and killed more than 1000 Germans and destroyed lo ta The Daily Telegraph’s Stockholm correspondent says that the objective of General von Bock’s offensive from Kursk seemingly is Voronej, an important rail junction on the main Moscow-Rostov railway. Its capture would drive a wedge between Marshal Timoshenko’s forces and the central Russian armies based on Moscow.