STALINGRAD IN DANGER

Grey River Argus, 20 August 1942, Page 5

STALINGRAD IN DANGER

AND BLACK SEA PORTS Russians Stand on Other Fronts ADVANCE AT LENINGRAD (Rcc. 12.58) LONDON, Aug. 19. A Soviet advance on the Leningrad front and a stiffening of Russian resistance .in the Mineralniyevody region and a continued hold-up of the enemy north-east of Kotelnikovo are the most favourable features of the lighting cn the Russian front. The other side of the picture reveals that the Russians are anxious over Stal.ngrad’s outer-most defences at the Don Elbow. “The Times” Stockholm correspondent says: Reinforced German tanks and artillery have at some points cast of Kletskaya battered a way for the enemy to the Don River’s bank, where the enemy footing appears now to be. firmer than through any previous penetration. In the region of the lower Don north-east of Kctelnikovo, heavy losses baulked the Axis forces.

The Russians’ pbsition is deteriorating west of Krasnodar, in the west Caucasus. There the Germans in some places are reported to have occupied both banks of the Kuban River.

German columns are eager to invest Krasnodar, which is the keypoint in the Soviet defence of the Biack Sea ports. The Germans there are subjecting the Russian rearguard to the heaviest pressure.

Leningrad Fighting A RUSSIAN ADVANCE (Rec. 12.58) LONDON, August 19. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent reports: The Russians launched heavy attacks on the Leningrad front. Infantry advanced under cover of heavy artillery fire, and forced Germans to retreat. Fierce fightbig is progressing. Russian Stand ON ALL BUT SOUTH FRONTS. (Rec. 10.40.) LONDON. August 18. Moscow radio stated that Russian forces during the past six weeks had at Voronej held and advanced against the enemy, despite the enemy’s reserves in manpower and quantity of equipment. Russians in recent weeks had been repelling repeated German attacks on the Don bend. Russians also had developed offensive operations against the enemy on the Bryansk. • Kalinin, and North-western fronts. Th? Germans had been able to advance appreciably only in the south, where their losses were tremendous.

Three Months’ Losses

SOVIET’S COMPUTATION.

(Rec. 11.30.) MOSCOW. August 18. It is officially stated at Moscow that the Germans on the Russian front during thp three months enG “ ed last Saturday. August 15. lost 1250 thousand men, and that of these 480,000 were killed. The Soviet during' the same period lost 606 thousand in dead, wounded and missing. The Germans lost 3390 tanks. 4000 guns, and 4000 planes. The Soviet losses were 2240 tanks, 3162 guns, and 2198 planes.

Drive on Stalingrad GERMAN PENETRATION. FROM NORTH-WEST. LONDON. Aug. 18. After many days and nights of incessant attacks by motorised infantry - and mobile artillery, the German drive on Stalingrad frdm the north-west has succeeded in nene‘trating the Russian front-line positions.’ This news was given in a dispatch to the 8.8. C. from the Moscow correspondent of the “News ChronA Moscow communique stated that In the Don Bend, where Russians were employed on the defensive, the Germans forced a wedge into the Russian positions. It says there have been no further withdrawals. There is no Russian confirmation of German claims to have reached the' west bank of the, Don in this area. Stalingrad is 40 miles beyond the river. I Earlier Moscow announcements haai said that Soviet forces in this area were engaged in heavy defensive actions, and that Russians were firmly entrenched north-west of Stalingrad. All enemy attacks had been repulsed, and the attacks were on a smaller scale than of late. The Russians stated that south-east of Kie’tskaya, the Germans are still, trying to reach the west bank of the Don. but Russian resistance was as stubborn as ever, and the Red Army 'dropped parachute troops in the eneImy’s rear. The Germans used air j forces, artillery and infantry against, parachutes. , , . I I The Russians state that there has also been heavy fighting south of Kletskaya, where the Germans yesi terday drove a wedge in the Soviet front after receiving reinforcements.

The Red Army struck back on the flanks of the wedge. Fighting is especially bitter in the central part oi Kletskaya-area, where large forces of Germans kept anvancing in face of (stubborn -resistance. Finally, the Russians struck simultaneously on two !,sides, inflicted heavy losses, and blocked the enemy advance. i The “Red Star” comments: £ lhe Germans continue to amass their, forces and attack frequently.” i I The Germans are keeping up pres-| sure on all the major fronts in Rus-; sia The Red Army have not succeeded in eliminating the wedge driven I’nto their Kletskaya defences. They .are inflicting here, as in the southwest Stalingrad and Caucasian fronts, heavy losses, but Von Bock is still ap-. parently able to put in another man ■and another tank and gun as each is 'struck down. The battle is bitter 'and unrelaxing. Bombers and fight-1 ers operating from bases close behind the battle lines, are mercilessly pounding the ground forces, carrying death and destruction far to the rear along the lines of reinforcement and supply.

SOUTH WEST THRUST ON STALINGRAD.

LONDON, Aug. 18. Moscow “Red Star” reported that as the result of recent reverses northeast of Kotelnikovo. the Germans withdrew several miles, entrenching themselves and awaiting the rein-| forcements. Russian paratroops landed in the rear of the Germans in the. Kletskaya area, and destroyed two infantry battalions. “Red Star” says: Fighting has practically ceased in most places northeast of Kotelnikovo as the Germans retreated several miles since their recent reverses, and are building defence lines. The Russians are continually harassing them, and trying further to improve their positions. The Russians report stubborn resistance to the German thrust towards Stalingrad in the south-west from the Kotelnikovo sector, where

there has been no change in the situation. German and Rumanian units were routed in a battle for a village. A News Agency message says: South of Kotelnikovo the Germans have again advanced and 'that thp Russians have fortified themselves in new positions. This is the German drive which may threaten the lower Volga and Astrakhan. ENEMY THRUST AT VOLGA. LONDON, Aug. 18. The l Vichy radio reported that the German thrust towards Astrakhan had passed S'angyr.

German Approach TO GROZNY! OIL FIELD. LONDON, Aug. 18. The situation in the foothills of the Caucasus Is still very serious. At Mineralnyevody the Germans have made their nearest approach to the Groznyi oilfields, 140 miles to the south-east, and they are driving hard along the railway and oil pipe line towards the oilfields. The Russians, heavily outnumbered, have again been forced to withdraw in this area. In the Caucasus the main fighting is going on in two areas, one of them at Mineralnyevody, near Georgievsk, and the other near Krasnodar. The Germans claim that their advanced units from Mineralnyevody have reached a point 100 miles from the Groznyi oilfields. At Krasnodar the Germans, according ’to Russian reports, have made little progress. An intense battle is raging. Murderous fighting and raiding goes on day and night on all the Caucasian fronts, especially at Mineralnyevody with both sides suffering heavy losses. The Germans are continuing to advance in some areas. The Russians are trying fully to exploit .the terrain at Mineralnoyevody, and they have taken every opportunity t 0 halt or at least slow up the German advance. The battle is raging day and night in all sectors of North Caucasus, according to Moscow messages, especially at Mineralnoyevody, and the , Germans continue to advance in some 'places. A German communique says: The Germans and their allies are continuing to attack the Caucasus successfully in face of stubborn resistance.

The Vichy radio states: The Germans have reached Petropavlosk, ten miles west of Groznyi.

WEST CAUCASUS. ENEMY ADVANCE. LONDON, Aug. 18. A. German success round Krasnodar, at the western end of the Caucasus battlefront, is reported. The latest Soviet'communique states that the Germans managed to cross the Kuban River at that point. The Germans are increasing the pressure on the south bank of the Kuban, which they crossed in force in the region of Krasnodar. The Russians are counter-attacking to frustrate the attempts to overwhelm the whole Russian position. The Russian situation in the Krasnodar area has become graver since the crossing of the Kuban River by the Germans, who are increasing pressure on Soviet positions. There is fighting apparently in many places on both sides of the river.

RUSSIAN LOSSES. DUE TO ENEMY CONCENTRATION. | (Rec. 10.50.) LONDON. August 18. , The Moscow radio says that the I Germans have transferred twentytwo divisions including two tank divisions from the West • to Russia in the last two months, and also flung additional divisions from Vassal states against Russia. The superiority of the enemy manpower arid equipment, concentrated in a decisive sector, has enabled the enemy in the Don and Kuban regions to capture large territories and towns, which were a serious loss industrially to Russia. STALIN’S SON. MOSCOW, Aug. 18. Stalin’s son. Colonel Vassily Stalin, is now in action on 'the southern front. He has been promoted to the command of an air fighter group. In June he' was awarded the Order of the Red Banner, for valour during a front-line action.