STALINGRAD AREA

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20966, 14 December 1942, Page 3

STALINGRAD AREA

RJEV DEADLOCK HUGE ENEMY LOSSES

SPECIAL SOVIET REVIEW

(By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright) (11.30 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 13. The operations in Russia have been more than usually difficult to follow during the past few days. There has been the greatest disparity between the German and the Russian claims. The Germans claim that large, but unspecified, Russian forces have been surrounded in the Toropets area. The Russians have indicated nothing that would support this and the claim itself is rather vague. The Germans also claim that there is an enormous concentration of Russian supplies and equipment in the Rjev area.

The general picture, however, appears to be that the Germans encircled in the south are making violent counter-attacks. but are being gradually reduced by the Soviet forces, while on the centra front something of a deadlock appears to have been reached. The opinion, in London is that tho Gormans are launching, or about to launch, a counter-attack from the south-west of Stalingrad. It can be expected that the onslaught will be in great strength. as they have the advantage of railways for supply. It now appears that the Germans encircled in the Don pocket had ample supplies of food and munition; brought up during the summer. The question is whether the Germans car bring irelief before th|ese are exhausted.

200 Transport Planes Downed

The destruction of a further 6C German transport planes over the Stalingrad area, announced by the Soviet communique last night, bring; the total of these aircraft destroyed in the past few days to nearly 200 Germany is known to possess a large number of transport planes, but her need for them, at present is immense as they are urgently required for the Tunisian and Cyrenican campaigns as well as the Russian.

A supplement to the Soviet communique states that the Russians dislodged the enemy from a numbei o.f fortified positions in the northern part of Stalingrad, wrecked seven dug-outs in the factory area, and* wiped out an infantry company North-west of Stalingrad, the Russians consolidated their position; One Soviet unit wiped out 300 Germans and captured eight- guns, It machine-guns, 11 mortars, 10 antitank guns, and an ammunition dump On another sector of the same front the Germans counter-attacked and were repulsed, the Russians killing 200 of the enemy and disabling three German tanks. South-west of Stalingrad, an enemy cavalry squadron Wat annihilated. On another sector, ar enemy infantry battalion and 13 tank; attacked the Russian positions. The attack was repelled, 300 German; being killed and three tanks damaged

On the central front, the Russian; consolidated their positions and in some sectors continued the offensive West of Rjev, the Russians crossed the river and attacked a German forward position. After fierce fighting they occupied the first line oi trenches after destroying 33 pill boxes and killing 800 Germans Soviet pilots shot down seven Ger- „ map planes.-

100,000 Germans Killed

North-west of Tuapse, engagements of local importance took place. A German attempt to drive a wedge into the Russian positions failed. A Soviet partisan group operating in the Leningrad district derailed five enemy railway Drains and killed 60( Germans from one of these.

A special Soviet- announcement states that since November 19, when the Russian offensive began in the Stalingrad area, 72,400 prisoners have been taken and 94,000 of the enemy killed. Four-fifths of the prisoners were Germans and the rest Rumanians. On the central front, since November 25, at least 7500 enemy have been killed and 2100 taken prisoner.

In the Stalingrad area, up to December 11, the Russians captured lOt aircraft, 1510 tanks, 2134 guns, 17 K mortars. 28 anti-aircraft, installations 4175 machine-guns, 311 anti-tank rifles, 4,196,000 rifles, 20,000,001 rounds of ammunition, 7306 lorries, and 1385 motor cycles. The Rus sians destroyed 632 aircraft, including 353 transport planes, 548 tanks 324 guns, 1946 machine-guns, and 1386 lorries. On the central front the Russians captured 194 tanks, 55l guns, 1053 machine-guns, 7000 rifles 300.000 shells, 726,000 rounds of ammunition,. and 921 lorries, and destroyed over 200 aircraft, 416 tanks 541 guns, over 1000 mortars, 1230 machine-guns, and 850 lorries.