DOGGED DEFENCE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21067, 12 April 1943, Page 3

DOGGED DEFENCE

DONETZ_BATTLES RUSSIANS HOLD LINE DAY AND NIGHT ATTACKS (By Telegraph—Press Assn. Copyright.) (11 a.m.) LONDON. April 11. The Russians had the best of the exchanges in a week’s fighting up and down the Donetz line. The Red Army commanders, realising that the possession of the Izyum salient may determine the success or otherwise of any German offensive from the Ukraine, are doggedly holding on to their positions. The Germans seem willing to pay a heavy price to reduce the bridgehead wihieh, unless smashed, will provide a springboard for a Russian offensive. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says that German day and night attacks were almost continuous in the past 48 hours against the Russian bridgehead south of Balakleya, but all the thrusts have been checked. The Germans have already lost many thousands killed and a fair amount of armour, but the attacks show no sign of abating. The weather has again treated the Russians cruelly. Torrential rain bogged the Kuban offensive just when it had really gained momentum with Ihe capture of Snastasevskaya. Small Russian groups are making efforts to offset the hold-up by forced night marches through dense water and reed at the rate of half a mile an hour along the Sea of Azov coast to infiltrate the rear German positions on the Taman Peninsula. Some were drowned en route, but many gained the desired positions in the rear of the Germans. Novorossisk Penetrated The Daily Telegraph’s Stockholm correspondent reports that the Russians penetrated the south-eastern suburbs of Novorossisk. Only local operations, chiefly sniping and reconnaissance, are reported by the Russian High Command, South of Byeloi, a reconnaissance group wiped out 40 of the enemy, occupied an important height, and repelled three West of Rostov, artillery and mortar exchanges continued. Stormoviks in the Black Sea region sunk a large -troopladen transport. Soviet aircraft also played havoc with motorised infantry waiting to embai'k and shot down five Messerschmitts. A Soviet communique states: “South of Byeloi a German unit attempted to penetrate into our rear. The attempt was frustrated and the Germans suffered losses. On another sector of the central front the Germans attempted to regain lost positions. The plan failed and one enemy infantry company was wiped out. A Soviet partisan group operating in the Orel area attacked a German garrison and wiped out 200 enemy troops and captured a large quantity of booty. Another group operating in the same area derailed an enemy military train. Many Germans were killed or wounded.”