Germans on Defensive in Caucasus

Manawatu Times, Volume 67, Issue 271, 16 November 1942, Page 5

Germans on Defensive in Caucasus

Signs of Weakened Attack on Stalingrad

(By Telegraph—Press Assn.— Received Sunday, 8.30 p.m. LONDON, Nov. 14.

It is believed in London that the Germans have been forced on the defensive along the Caucasus front. Further slight gains are reported by the Russians on the. Tuapse front, also further north in the Novorossisk area.

An official Russian report issued on Saturday says that attacks by two enemy infantry divisions in the factory area of Stalingrad were repulsed. Several further positions in the Nalchik area have been captured by Soviet troops.

The Daily Express’ Moscow correspondent says the recent lull at Stalingrad was false. Losses and fr,ost caused the attack temporarily to slacken. Five German divisions have been attacking Stalingrad since October 14, losing upwards of 1500 men for every 100 yards gained. It became evident from October 19 that the Germans could not receive further reinforcements fr,om the rear. Then, on the night of November 7, the silver jubilee of the Soviet Revolution, the Germans tried to sleep under a rainstorm and awakened to a frostgripped world. The attack ,on Stalingrad died down —losses plus the frost had halted it. The Germans have renewed their attack on a considerable scale, but significant details emerge: Firstly, mortar fire opened the assault instead of the usual aerial bombing; secondly, whereas the Luftwaffe praviously attacked the Red Army’s, positions in formations of upward of 50-strong, they now fly over in groups of three or four. The Germans continued to attack in all sectors, says the Stalingrad radio. Very fierce fighting developed in the area of one factory where the Germans met massed machine-gun and rifle fire. Russian counter-attacks against the German flank north of Stalingrad disorganised the enemy offensive and German strength had to be diverted to meet tbe Russian threat.

Moscow’s Army newspaper, the Red Star, says not a single dr,op of oil has been taken from the Maikop oilfields since the German occupation three months ago. The Germans made feverish attempts to develop the wells despite the fact that these and the wells in the Krasnodar area were completely wrecked. The Germans attempted to reconstruct one Maikop well but guerrillas smashed the installations. The German garrison in the oilfields area has now been greatly increased.