Soviet Troops Hold Up von Bock’s Stalingrad Threat

Northern Advocate, 14 August 1942, Page 3

Soviet Troops Hold Up von Bock’s Stalingrad Threat

(Rec. 3.30 p.m.) LONDON. August 13._ Von Bock’s thrust against Stalingrad, now in its fifth week, is being held on all fronts.

Latest reports indicate that the great Kotelnikovo battle, which was resumed on a larger scale yesterday morning, after the Germans and Rumanians had suffered a sharp reverse, is still moving slightly in Russian favour, while the Russians have succeeded in restoring the position at Kletskaya after an important German advance on one sector. Enemy’s Disorderly Retreat Details are now available of a phase of the Kotelnikovo battle which ended on the morning of August 12 with a disorderly retreat by German and Rumanian forces from positions gained at great cost in the preceding few days. After hurling great forces of tanks and lorry-borne infantry against the Russian defence lines, and losing many machines to the Russian tanks awaiting them in ambush, and being driven back by a decisive counter-blow, the German Command on Tuesday morning accumulated a force of 300 tanks.

These bore down in two waves on a line of hills where the Russians had established main fire-points. The defenders held their fire until shocktroops could be seen clinging to the sides of the tanks.

The Russians’ guns and mortars then opened up a murderous fire. The German tanks were seen to recoil and many burst into flames as thermite shells found their mark. Broke in Confusion Others broke the formation and took cover in small valley, then turned tail and retreated in confusion. The enemy then in an adjacent sector threw in infantry, which edged the Russians off a number of heights. Before the enemy had time to consolidate, the Russians counter-attacked and regained the lost territory. They drove an entire force, except one regiment, off the battlefield. This regiment was engaged all night. The Russians at daybreak on Wednesday held their original lines intact. Ferocious Fighting The Kotelnikovo battles are at present among the most sanguinary of the entire southern campaign, as Axis forces attempt to drive along the railway towards Stalingrad. Ferocious street fighting is occurring in many townships, and fields are strewn with hundreds of dead.