Opens Way For Enveloping Kharkov

Northern Advocate, 21 August 1943, Page 3

Opens Way For Enveloping Kharkov

LONDON, August 20

The battle around Kharkov is becoming still more violent as both sides fling in reserves in an effort to force a decision, reports the Moscow correspondent of the British United Press. Russian tank forces, day and night, are storming strong German defences and slowly but surely pressing "back the enemy. The Red Army has crushed the German defence lines in one sector south-west of Kharkov, where the enemy has been desperately trying to keep "open the escape route from the city. Huge air and artillery bombardment preceded a series of attacks from tank forces which smashed gaps in the enemy lines through which infantry poured and. following up the success of the motorised vanguard, seized an important highway and surrounded strong German forces, then attacked from the rear, while other infantry forces struck from the flanks. The Germans began to retreat in disorder. The Russians pursuing them captured a number of villages.

A correspondent of the “Daily Express” emphasises that the news that the Russians compelled the Germans to evacuate a considerable stretch on the right bank of the northern Donetz, is tremendous. It opens the way for complete envelopment of Kharkov from the south. This is not a battle for mere possession of Kharkov, it is strategically the war’s most important battle and will decisively affect the duration.

Red Advance Continues Tonight's Soviet communique state:; that the Russians on the Kharkov front advanced three to 6A miles and occupied over 20 inhabited localities including Lebedin. The Russians on Bryansk front also south-west of Demensk. have improved their positions. Six Fronts Affected Reuter points out that if German statements about various new Russian offensives are taken at their full value, then the Russians are on the offensive at six points along the 1000mile front from Finland to the Set' of Azov. Points which the Germans named are: (1) Louhi sector, which is the Finnish front and part of Murmansk front. (2) Staraya Russa, which the Russians have not yet confirmed. 13) Smolensk-Bryansk front. (4) Bryansk front itself. (5) Kharkov front (6) The Mius front, where Berlin foi several days lias dwelt on “hard defensive battles” west of Rostov, of: which Moscow so far has not given any indication.

Unprecedented Fighting

Correspondents agree that air fighting on the Russian front has reached an unprecedented scale. Relays of Red Air Force planes hammer German reinforcements as they move up to the front. Russian airmen are turning roads behind the German lines into streams of blazing lorries, cars and tanks. The Luftwaffe is switching forces from one sector to another in an attempt to achieve local air superiority. Still Further Progress Tonight’s Soviet communique announces further substantial successes in a drive to encircle Kharkov. Soviet troops advanced three to six and a half miles, retaking 20 places north of Kharkov. Red armies, driving westward, have left Kharkov 90 miles behind by the recapture of Lebeden. about 30 miles south-west of Sumy, and about 70 miles north of Poltava. The Russians have also improved their positions on both the Eryan.sk and SpaDcmensk fronts.

A correspondent reports that the German's escape gap from Kharkov is now narrowed to 13 miles. The only railway from Kharkov still in German hands is one running south-west to Pavograd and the Crimea, and it is reported to be under Russian artillery fire. Vast Encounter Reuter's Moscow correspondent reports that air-fighting over the Kharkov and Bryansk fronts has reached a new pitch oi intensity. The Red Air Force is continuously bombing roads at the rear of both the German fronts, which arc littered with wrecked enemy cars, tanks and guns. The Russians on the Bryansk front captured an important knot of resistance on the direct eastern approach to the city. The Germans had turned four villages into a powerful sirongpoint. The Red Army cleared out the Germans alter several hours of bayonet: fighting. Fighting at Kharkov is assuming the proportions of one of the vastest encounters of the war, says the Moscow correspondent of the “Exchange Telegraph.” Bitter air battles are raging daily, with the Russians holding air mastery, despite constantly arriving Luftwaffe reinforcements from other sectors. Threat to Kiev The two Russian armies which by-passed Kharkov are still driving steadily deeper into the Ukraine and are now' threatening Sumv and Poltava, 75 miles beyond Kharkov/ savs Reuter’s Moscow' correspondent. These two centres control the main railways running from Kharkov to Kiev, capital of the Ukraine, which has been in German hands since the first year of the Russo-German war. Referring to the position on the Bryansk front, Reuter says there is no fresh news of the Russian offensive along a 150-mile arc. indicating that German resistance has stiffened. The Germans’ artillery barrage in the Demensk area has been intensified and the enemy is mounting repeated counter-attacks.

Moscow radio reported late last night that the Red. Army is approaching the Bryansk-Lvov railway in a double drive from the west and south-west.

Correspondents tell of the dashing actions that Cossacks are performing in the swampy areas of the Bryansk sector. Cossacks are particularly active east of the city, between Karachev and Bryansk. Cavalry, moving through forest trails, suddenly appears around isolated Germanoccupied villages and proceeds to harry and subdue the occupants. Berlin radio’s commentator (Captain Serforius) declared that the Russian High Command launched a long-prepared pincer attack against Staraya Russa, when 200 Russian tanks rolled into action north and south of the town and a vicious battle is proceeding. Kharkov Dangerously Threatened The Russians’ spectacular break-through in a sector south-west of Kharkov and west of .Smiyev. lias narrowed the escape corridor southwards from Kharkov, between the converging arms of the Russian belt around the city, to 13 miles. The Moscow correspondent of the British United Press says that the new advance has brought the Russians several miles nearer Kharkov’s southern suburbs, which means that the city is now dangerously threatened from the north, east and south. This latest Russian advance has also brought another great advantage—the last single railway line southwards and south-westwards to Losavaya and Dnepropetrovsk. is now within range of the Red Army’s heavy artillery. The Russians are fiercely pounding the line from ground and air. Red Tanks’ Successes Describing how the Russians effected their newest advance, a correspondent or the British United Press- says that the Germans, after the Russians overran Smiyev, retreated to strongly-prepared positions farther west.. The Russians blanketed these with terrific artillery and air bombardment. Red Army tanks followed up with repeated attacks, which so battered the remaining defences that infantry were able to pour through the gaps created. Close-Quarter Fighting Russians and Germans in the Bryansk sector, according to Moscow correspondents’ accounts, have now apparently settled down to bitter close-quarter fighting in swampy ground east of Bryansk, where tanks are almost useless. Medium artillery, mortars and machine-guns are principally being employed, although even these are difficult to move up. Russian sappers are building roads of logs.

U.S. Indian Command — A New Delhi cable says Brigadier-General Howard Davidson ' has replaced Major-General Clayton Bissell. who is returning to America, where, it is officially stated, he is taking up an assignment of “great importance”. Brigadier-General Davidson has had experience in China, Burma and India,