NAZIS MAKE LITTLE PROGRESS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20864, 17 August 1942, Page 3

NAZIS MAKE LITTLE PROGRESS

STALINGRAD DRIVE DON BEND BATTLE FOUR-PRONGED EFFORT ADVANCE IN CAUCASUS (By Telegraph—Press Assn.— Copyright.) (11 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 16. After the fiercest fighting in the Don country, near Kletskaya, the Russians are still holding the Germans, but the enemy pressure has not relaxed, ine Germans apparently hope to force Stalingrad’s approaches with a sustained four-pronged drive thiee prongs within the Don elbow and the fourth from the hills of the Volga Valley, south of the city. This fourth line of attack, north of Kctelnokovo, developed dangerously for the Russians when a strong force of enemy tanks, well supported by infantry and planes, broke through and began to fan out along the Don. it was during the stemming of the German advances in this sector that the Russians destroyed hundreds oi tanks. The Russians admit counterattacks only partially retrieved the situation and mat the German penetration necessitated some withdrawals ioi straightening the defence line, but some enemy units were scattered by a swift wheeling movement which brought the German rear under Russian fire. , , Meanwhile, General von Bock s mechanised forces have advanced further towards the Caspian and increased the threat to Grozny. Grozny s oilfields are less than 100 miles from Mineralnya Vody, in the vicinity of which fighting has been reported. The Germans are battering against Krasnodar. Enemy Frustrated Taking advantage of the mountainous country at Mineralyna Vodi, the Germans, trying to outflank the Soviet defences, Concentrated in the gorges oehind the hills, but the active Soviet defence is frequently frustrating the enemy’s plans. The Pravda says that the Nazis, as previously, are concentrating their main forces in narrow sectors, seeking m break through the defence at any price. . Tne Times corresoondent in Moscow says that the Caucasian army has iaiien back in the vicinity of Mineralnya Vody, which is a small mineral water health resort. Strong Russian resistance is still reported from CherKesk, further westward. The Germans encountered more solid resistance at Cherkesk, where they are heta up determinedly. General von Kliesi pushed on eastwards with other columns, but it is a more southerly drive along the valley of 'the Uppex Terek, from which military highways climb to the Caucasus. One of tne world’s richest manganese deposits lies in the Upper Terek valley, where more powerful Russian forces are ceituinly occupying positions more iavouraDle tor defence. The Times’ correspondent adds that the battle of the Don elbow, before btalingrad, is most complicated, infantry is battling with infantry neat the river while tanks meet tanics further west. The Germans have nowhere succeeded in co-ordinating tanks ana infantry, which is their usual strategy. At Kotelnikovo, also, the battle appears to be dissolving into scatteied lignting. The Russians gained several positions on .the Bryansk front, where they made heavy attacks against the German fortified lines. German reports emphasise the growing scale of difficulties in the Rjev battle, which the Russians scarcely mention. The Germans claim to be holding the Russian attack in the bogs. the Moscow radio says that the Germans have regrouped their forces and resumed heavy attacks northeastwards of Kotelnikovo. German infantry, strongly supported by tanks and planes, is thrusting north-east-wards, disregarding all losses. Fresh German divisions are constantly being thrown into the battles. Hundreds ot German dead and dozens of wrecked vehicles are strewn across the fields. Offensive Arrested According to a front-line despatch to the Red Star, the German offensive against Stalingrad from Kotelnikovo has been arrested, but a warning is issued that this is only a lulL before a fresh storm. The German losses, especially in tanks, forced them on to the defensive in certain sectors, where they are digging in, erecting barbed wire entanglements, and hurriedly moving up reserves. The Exchange and Telegraph’s Moscow correspondent says that after the latest German break-through in the Krasnodar area, the Russians attacked the flanks of the advancing enemy, inflicting losses and slowing up, but so far not stemming, the advance. The Russians defending the western bank of the Don are in a critical position after a German break-through south of Kletskaya. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says that the latest reports from the Don elbow show that the Russians were pushed back in some sectors close to the west bank of the river, where they are fortifying new lines of counterattacking. The Pravda reports that strong German attacks on the Leningrad .front were beaten back with heavy enemy losses. A Vichy radio claims that the Germans have reached the immediate approaches to the Grozny oilfields. Quoting a Stockholm report, the radio says that the German forces sent reinforceihents of planes and possibly troops, to meet the Russian attacks in the Riev. Viazma, Bryansk, and Voronej sectors. Russian resistance is increasing around Stalingrad and the western Caucasus. A German communique states: “We took Georgievsk. The Russians in the Voronej area continued vain diversionary attacks. Numerous Russian attacks were frustrated south-east of Lake Limen and,Volkhov.