3 Full-Scale Battles On East Front

Northern Advocate, 12 June 1942, Page 3

3 Full-Scale Battles On East Front

(Rec. 11 a.m.) LONDON, June 11

A full-scale battle is now raging on three sectors of the Russian front. Moscow radio says tank, infantry and air attacks have been launched by the Germans on the Leningrad, Kharkov and Sebastopol fronts. The Germans began the Kharkov attack on Tuesday night with intense ferocity. The Russians repulsed seven German attacks in one sector of the Sebastopol front, including one by an entire German division in which 1000 Germans were killed. Berlin radio declared that Russian counter-attacks at Sebastopol were remarkable riot only for the extensive use of mine-throwers and mechanised weapons, but also for the masses of human material thrown in. Chain Across Kerch Straits

Sebastopol is not only protected by concrete defences and guns, but by hills, ravines and rocky gorges. The Russian defences are comparable with the Metaxas Line in Greece, which held up the German advance for some time. There is no confirmation in London of Vichy Reports that the Germans have crossed the Kerch Straits. A Moscow message, reporting that the German army air force is steadily increasing activity along the .whole front, says despatches from the front indicate that the summer campaign is getting under way with the Germans at last rolling into large-scale action. Sebastopol Like Malta

The Germans at present are comparing Sebastopol with Malta, says Reuter’s Stockholm correspondent. Berlin military circles describe SebastoDol as just such another tough nut, with a hint it may be over-tough for the Germans to crack. Most of Sebastopol’s strong points are cut in solid cliffs, impervious to the ’ most powerful weapons. The Germans are hurling in tanks, infantry and dive-bombers against the Russian positions in Kharkov. General Konhoht. who is unknown outside Germany, has been given charge of the German forces. Moscow radio stated that in a threeday battle on the north-western Leningrad front, the Germans, in repeated attempts to force an important river, lost 1500 men killed and wounded, also 17 tanks.

Some Germans wore Red Army Uniforms.

Fierce and Heavy

While no details are available of the renewed German offensive on the Kharkov front, a Moscow message makes it clear that fighting is fierce and heavy and that both sides are prepared for action on a major scale to last for some time.

Fighting in Sebastopol is growing in intensity as Germans, regardless _of heavy losses, are continually throwing in new reserves.

In general, the battle is raging where it started five days ago, except for one place where the Germans made a slight advance in the direction of two unnamed heights after three days’ fight-

mg. Fierce battles for mastery of the skies continues to be the outstanding feature of the battle for Sebastopol. Here and there German planes break through Ihe defences and drop bombs on the Russian lines, but everywhere the defenders continue to hold their positions.

Give and Take

On the Bryansk front the enemy attempted to capture a village dominating the most vital highway, but were repulsed after a Russian counterattack, the enemy losing over 500 killed. On another sector of this front a settlement and two heights were captured by the Russians, who killed 750 Hungarians. On the north-west front two German regiments, supported by tanks and aircraft, stormed a Soviet position but were hurled back after three days’ battle with the loss of 500 men killed.

On another sector of the same front, lire Russians stormed and captured a height dominating a vital sector.

On (he Kalinin front the Russians stormed and ca-ptured two settlements. Facing another sector of this front a German ‘ attack was repulsedwith the loss of 400 enemy killed. On yet another sector of this front fighting is raging for a settlement which has already changed hands four times. During the past 24 hours, the Russian guerillas in Orel province killed nearly 1-000 Germans and destroyed 50 tanks and lorries.

A Vichy despatch from Ankara says German troops are reported to have landed on the Taman Peninsula on the eastern side of Kerch Straits. No Material Change

A Moscow communique says there were no material changes last night. The Russians in a sector of the central front overcame a German garrison and occupied an inhabited locality. Hundreds of enemy dead were left at the approaches and in the streets of the village. The enemy abandoned a considerable quantity of war material.

Sebastopol Attacks Increasing The attacks on Sebastopol are

reported in authoritative quarters

in London to be increasing. The assault has been going on for six days, and the Germans are reported to be using eight or 10 divisions.

The Russians also have been

strongly reinforced since Decem-

Evidently the Soviet fleet has been successful in keeping open the route to the port, and it is presumed that the defenders have at least one aerodrome. The scale of the German attack on the Kharkov front is not yet known. A Soviet communique stated only that Germans in this sector had passed to the offensive, and it is not clear whether a really big offensive has started. German Atrocities Molotoff has issued a third note of German atrocities. The note declares that atrocities have proved to be an organised attempt at extermination” to avenge the defeat of the German armies in Russia.