RUSSIAN VICTORY

Grey River Argus, 23 November 1942, Page 3

RUSSIAN VICTORY

IN THE CAUCASUS

ENEMY FORCED BACK With Loss of 15,000 Men [Aust.’ & N.Z. Cable Assn.] LONDON, Nov. 20. A special Soviet communique reported a decisive Russian victory in the Caucasus in which a German armoured division, which had been driving toward Ordzhonikidze, was decisively defeated with the loss of 15,000 men. German forces are in headlong retreat after a big defeat near Vladikavkas, in the Central Caucasus. The Russian forces have-tak-en the offensive in this area, and have recaptured an important height south-east of Nalchik.

A Moscow message stated mauled and broken Axis fotces were abandoning one position after another, discarding tanks, guns and ammunition, and fleeing to .mountains and forests to escape capture. More than 5000 German dead and 10,000 wounded were left on the battlefield. The Red Army is still in contact with the enemy. “Izvestia” stated the Red Army’s victory at Vladikavkas is a signal for more intense activity on other fronts. The Germans will get no breathing spell. They will not be 1 permitted to use the winter for reinforcing their exhausted strength. The paper adds that in Stalingrad, too, Germany will yet learn the growing strength of the Russian Army. Germans have been exerting the greatest pressure with the immediate aim of capturing Ordzhonikidze, the gateway to Transcauacasia. For some time it has been clear that the Germans had been sending large highly armoured forces to this front and were determined to break through. Their defeat apart from the substantial losses they suffered and the large amount of equipment and vehicles captured by the Russians is undoubtedly an important victory for the Red Army. There are indications that it was the urgent need for oil at Grozny and Baku which led Hitler to make such a determined effort in this sector.

The Russians say a battle for Vladikavkas began on November 1. The Germans on November 3 broke through the defences on a narrow sector and prepared for a final thrust with tanks and aeroplanes to seize the town and gain a footing on the. Georgian military highway. The situation was extremely critical, but the Russians launched a desperate counter-attack and held the enemy onslaught, and on November 11 threw the Germans out of the fortified village. The Russians continued to hold the main Axis force and then launched a powerful flanking thrust which ultimately cut off a very large Axis force and compelled it to take up defensive positions in three fortified settlements. The Russians subjected the encircled Axis forces to devastating artillery and mortar fire for five days and nights. The Soviet .infantry repelled counter-attacks by which the Germans hoped to break the ring. Then the Russians, on the sixth day, advanced from the north and north-east against the three fortified settlements The Axis forces fought fiercely, but the Red Army relentlessly pressed on, completing the rout in which .Axis soldiers abandoned most of their arms and equipment. The Vladikavkaz victory appears to ensure the safety of the Grozny oilfields for the winter, as it is apparent that the German defeat was due to the skilful manner in which the Russians capitalised on the enemy’s winter transport difficulties. The Germans have lost from 150 to 200 tanks, many of which were not damaged but had run out of fuel., The difficulties of bringing up fuel across the snow and mud proved too much for the Germans.

Moscow radio says that thousands of German bodies and’ tanks, armoured cars and lorries twisted into heaps of broken metal, litter the battlefields before Vladikavkaz. Bodies were thick in a recaptured village. There were forty common graves in one cemetery and another village contained forty lorries piled with dead which the Germans were unable to bury. The “Daily Express” describes the victory as a “miniature Alamein.” FIGHTING GENERALLY ON SMALL SCALE. (Rec. 6.30) LONDON, Nov. 21. A Russian communique on Saturday. morniqg did not record any important changes on the front. Activity in the Stalingrad area appears to be on a small scale. Fighting continues south-west of Nalchik, where, a Russian marine group, off the Black Sea, made landings deep in the rear of .an enemy force, annihilated the coastguard, and returned without loss. Russians are still holding outskirts of Novorossisk. Saturday night’s Soviet communique stated the main fighting had again been in Stalingrad and on the two Caucasus fronts south-east of Nalchik and north-east of Tuapse. In one sector north-east of Tuapse Russian troops pushed forward and dislodged enemy forces from several fortified positions.

Russian Attack BOTH SIDES OF STALINGRAD. (Rec. 11.0.) LONDON, Nov. 22. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says: Russian forces are attacking along the entire front from the Don River north-westwards of Stalingrad, to the Kalmuck; Steppes. A, German military spokesman stated there were Russian thrusts on both Stalingrad flanks, which had assumed the nature of a veritable offensive. He added: The first enemv waves were repelled, but defensive fighting is still going on. Reports reaching Moscow state Russians have been heavily attacking Roumanian positions covering the left German, flank outside of Stalingrad.

German Recovery \ AT VLADIKAVKAZ. (Rec. 11.0.) ’ LONDON, Nov. 21. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent states: It is reported that the Germans have recovered from the Russian success at the approaches of Vladikavkaz, and that the Germans) now are desperately attempting to recapture some of their lost positions.