RUSSIAN DRIVES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20959, 5 December 1942, Page 3

RUSSIAN DRIVES

STALINGRAD AREA

RJEV WEDGE WIDENED

ENEMY SUPPLIES SHORT

(By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright.) (11.30 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 4. . The Russians continue to harass the Germans around Kotelnikovo and deep into the Kalmuk steppes, but are mainly concentrating at present on consolidating the network of townships and villages re-occupied in the last four or live days. Heavy rains are impeding movements in the Caucasus.

The Russians’ wedge driven into the German defences westwards of Rjev have been still further widened. The Siberians broke up the headquarters of a German regiment which attempted to counter-attack and captured a large number of long-range guns. '

The Germans are contradicting themselves in an effort to minimise the Russian drives. The Berlin spokesman claims that the Russian offensives are .losing their punch, whereas the Volkischer Beobachter's front-line reporter says that the fighting is daily being intensified. Berlin military spokesmen declare that the Russians . lack reserves, whereas neutral reporters state that the Russians are constantly flinging iii new infantry, cavalry and tank brigades.

Rjev Garrison’s Danger

The Daily Express’ war writer, Mr. Morley Richards, says that if General Zhukov recaptures Rjev, 100,000 Germans garrisoned there will face annihilation. The loss of Rjev would also uncover the German triangle, Viazma-Smolensk-Vitebsk, in which the main German armies on the central front are assembled. The fall of Rjev would imperil all the enemy positions due west of Moscow. The Germans squeezed in between the Don and the Volga are short oi ammunition and other supplies anc. are desperately making an effort to gain time to regroup, says the Izvestia. Russian flank attacks are driving in wedges and harrying them •from the rear, compressing the enemy into ever smaller space. The Times’ correspondent in Moscow says that the Germans endangered around Stalingrad are still full of fight and resistance is stiffening under the cover of increased air support. Reserves are reported to have reached the Germans. Two regiments in one sector counter-attacked but were thrown back. The Daily Express’ Stockholm correspondent savs that the Germans ir. front of Stalingrad, after throwing forward heavy reserves of tanks anc infantry, supported for the first .time in many days by large formations o bombers, counter-attacked strongly on the east bank of the Don. The Russians, despite intensified resistance, continued to push on methodically, with the Germans losing heavily. ,

Axis Supplies By Air

_ The British United Press’ Moscow correspondent reports that fleets o German transport planes are still rushing reserves and supplies to the west bank of the Don, but these have not yet given .the enemy sufficiem strength to halt the Russian attacks which are progressing from all directions. , _ The Red Star says that the Russians captured Verchengnilovsky /■ one’ -of the Germans’ most importan bases on the east bank of the Don north-west of Stalingrad. It was the backbone of the German defence system and was composed of severa villages threatening the Russian; advancing from the north down the west bank of the Don. The German news agency says tha the Russians on the Stalingrad fron are concentrating for a new offen sive on the east bank of the Don ii the Kalach - Pavlosk - Buturlinovk; triangle. A German communique says tha. floods and impassable roads impeded operations in the Caucasus, but tht Germans engaged in local fighting against stubborn Russian attacks.