RUSSIANS ADVANCE

Grey River Argus, 24 November 1942, Page 5

RUSSIANS ADVANCE

ON STALINGRAD FLANKS OVER FORTY MILES Enemy Loss 27,000 [Aust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] LONDON. Nov. 22. News of a big Russian success north-west and south of Stalingrad was given by a Moscow radio in a special announcement. It claimed Soviet forces advanced 40 to 50 miles during the past three days and the offensive is still progressing. Russians advanced initially north and south of Stalingrad. They broke the enemy’s defences for a stretch of 20 miles in the Serafimovich area.t north-west of Stalingrad, and also smashed through south of Stalingrad on a 15-mile line. Russians captured Kalach on the east bank.of the Don, Krivomusginskaya railway station. and also Abganerovo town, thus cutting both railways supplying the enemy forces on the Don’s east bank. The Russians in this offensive completely routed six enemy infantry divisions and one tank division. The Russians inflicted further heavy losses against seven enemy infantry divisions, also two tank and two motorised divisions. At least 14,000 Axis troops were killed. 13,000 taken prisoner, and much booty captured. The Moscow announcement heralds th e end of the long battle for Stalingrad. The force advancing from north-west along the Don has reached two towns about 40 miles due west of the citv, while the- force coming from the south has taken a station 40 miles south-south-west of Stalingrad. A gap of only 30 miles thus separates these forces, advancing some 40 miles behind the Germans entrencned in the disnuted city. (Rec. 12.15.)i LONDON, Nov. 22. Referring to tire Russian attack, the “Daily Express says: This is a tremendous victory. It means that the Russians now hold a threatening position in the rear of the whole German army that is engaged at Stalingrad. Lalach, which the Russians have occupied, is forty miles west of Stalingrad, and has been a main German suply base.

The Russians are retaining the initiative in the Nalchik area, which ceaseless rains have- converted into a sea of mud. and ar e attacking new Axis defence lines. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent reports that one Red Army unit drove a wedge into the German positions, threw back coun-ter-attacks against the flanks, and forced the enemy to retreat. This correspondent estimates the Axis losses in the 90-day battle for Stalingrad at 150.000 killed and 1200 tanks and 1500 planes destroyed.

German Accounts RUSSIAN PENETRATION ADMITTED. LONDON. Nov. 22 The- Berlin N-ews Agency repeats the German spokesman’s announcement that the Russians have begun an offensive on the southern front. The Agency says the Russians launched attacks at’ Serafimovich (on the Don, 110 miles north-west of Stalingrad), at Krasnoarmeisk (20 miles south of Stalingrad) and in the Upper Terek area. The Russians’ attacks near Serafimovich wtere with several rifle divisions and a number of tank brigades. Bitter fighting developed. A Russian cavalry regiment penetrated the Axis lines to atack from the rear, but was wiped out. This, arid the- attack from Krasnoarmeisk were intended as an enveloping movement for the relief of Stalingrad, says the News Agency. They were- carried out with most powerful forces, but were beaten back. GERMAN CLAIM LINES HOLD SOUTH OF STALINGRAD. lAust. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] (Rec. 1.0.) LONDON, Nov. 23. The Berlin radio says: The German Official News Agency has stated: There is fighting in the Stalingrad area going on with unabated fury, Russian forces succeeded in driving small wedges into' the German lines, with the object of cutting off the German flank defences. British and American tanks appeared for the first time in this sector. “Marshal Timoshenko, on Sunday, threw in armoured reinforcements ruthlessly against German lines. Single Russian tanks forged ahead, and penetrated Roumanian and German lines .where they attempted to destroy suplv lines. “Roumanian and German battleplanes have destroyed a large number of these tanks. “The same conditions have prevailed south of Stalingrad. The Russians, however, have been unable to break the concentrated German defences.”