Sebastopol Position Now Graver

Northern Advocate, 11 June 1942, Page 3

Sebastopol Position Now Graver

(Rec. 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, June 10. The Germans continue to bring up reinforcements against Sebastopol. A Moscow message says the defenders are beating off all attacks and the Germans have not advanced in the past five days. “Red Star,” however, says the situation at Sebastopol is becoming graver, the enemy’s pressure is not being relaxed. and fighting hourly grows fiercer.

The Germans-’ main attack is being made against two hills commanding the city, which they are unceasingly storming. Dig Luftw'affe forces aie ceaselessly strafing the Russian positions.

Rivals Kerch Holocaust

According to a message received at Stockholm from Berlin the fate of the German assault against Sebastopol is now being decided by bloody hand-to-hand fighting outside the Russian defences. The struggle has reched a peak of ferocity only equalled by the battle of Kerch. The Germans are fighting major engagements in order to gain yards. Another Berlin report states that :t is believed British officers and men were among the crew of Russian warships in the Black Sea. The Finnish communique says Finnish infantry and artillery in the Karelian Isthmus area repulsed a major enemy ataack.

Bombarded From Finland

Though no important move has begun from Finland, heavy artillery bombardment of the Russians’ positions has been progressing since the week-end.

“The Times” Stockholm correspondent says this does not necessarily mean that a serious drive against Leningrad is immediately impending from this side, but can be interpreted as covering the taking over of the whole or part of this sector by German divisions which have reportedly been ready since spring to assume this task in connection with the inevitable offensive against Leningrad.

White Sea Bases

German intentions in the Svir sector are still obscure, but serious preparations are certainly maturing in the north, particularly for the drive to the White Sea, near the Arctic Circle to cut the railway to Murmansk and establish a submarine base on the White Sea to harass the BritishAmerican summer route, while surface warships operate in the broader Arctic waters.

The base for these surface ships has been transferred from Trondheim to Norvik, and a few days ago were to Narvik, and a few days ago were inspected by Admiral Raeder and the German naval chief in Norway’(Admiral Boehn). Slovaks Surrender

An entire section of a Slovak motorised division on the southern front, with its commander, crossed over to the Russian lines after fighting their German guards, says Moscow radio. After surrendering, the Slovaks appealed to their compatriots to follow suit.

Life Underground

An earlier Soviet communique states “engagements of local importance and patrol activity took place today on several sectors of the front.”

Cn the Sebastopol front our troops repelled numerous enemy attacks with heavy loss to the enemy". More than 2500 German officers and men were killed in today’s fighting on the Sebastopol front. Referring to the people of Sebastopol's stubborn resistance. Moscow messages state that they have built dining quarters, schools and even cinemas inside caverns and shelters. Trained and experienced crews are repairing in record time damage to public vehicles, water system, power supply and communications. Fires caused by 1000 incendiaries dropped on the city are reported to have been expeditiously extinguished, reducing the damage to a minimum. German air force losses are enormous.

Three Pronged Fork The Germans are trumpeting that they have assembled 100.000 men and 2000 planes and the greatest concentration of artillery ever seen for an all-out smash against Sebastopol. The Germans are attacking regardless of losses.

They have very strong forces massed for the Crimean prong of the three-pronged fork with.which they are believedly preparing to strike eastwards—through Kerch,

through the Donetz Basin and Military observers .at Ankara say that 200 German trains of 40 carriages each, containing mostly artillery, motor torpedo-boats and submarine parts have passed through Yugoslavia in the past four weeks enroute to the Black Sea.

Barges From Danube Barges, including some capable of carrying several thousand men, are increasingly concentrating Southwards of the mouth of the Danube. These moves are interpreted as meaning that the Germans hope to take Sebastopol, then develop an extensive sea transport from Rumanian ports. There is no evidence that German attacks on the Valdai Hills indicate anything like a general offensive in that region, where the Russians appear to maintain the initiative. through Kursk.