STALINGRAD AREA

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 24 October 1942, Page 2

STALINGRAD AREA

ENEMY ATTACKS REPULSED FIERCE STREET FIGHTING NEW METHODS BY GERMANY <Rei\ 9.50 a.m.) Rugby, Oct. 23. There is little if any slackening in the seale of weight of lighting in the Stalingrad area aeeording to a Soviet supplementary communique and the latest Moscow messages. | Enemy and tank attacks arc being repulsed by machine-gun and morInside the city the Germans are building up strongholds on a circular plan. Often they find it necessary to gain some particular building to complete contact between groups. The fiercest lighting centres round these premises which may change hands sev era I times. The Germans give their fortified points every protection possible so that in places the Russians when they attack are compelled to concentrate considerable fire and forces against every house they storm. Nevertheless the Russians recovered several block houses in the western suburbs two days ago. “Red Star” says where a deadlock is reached in the fighting inside Stalingrad the Germans are seeking new methods of street fighting in which batteries are broken up and single tanks accompany tommy-gunners and infantry in the charge. Light guns are mounted on roof and the tops of tanks, which are very vulnerable in street fighting and therefore used with extreme caution. often merely as a hideout for small groups of tommy-gunners. STRENGTH OF ENEMY “Red Star” adds that 22 German divisions are concentrated against Stalingrad, including 15 infantry, 3 motorised infantry, and 4 tank divisions possessing in all over 500 tanks, 1200 field guns, 1000 trench mortars and 800 aircraft. North-westward of the city Russians on the Germans* left flank dislodged the enemy from an important height. Rumanian troops freshly thrown into the battle here suffered severe casualties. The enemy group which as reported in yesterday’s communique had driven a wedge in the Soviet positions in the Mosdok area was mopped up and the position restored. Moscow radio reports activity by the Baltic Sea air arm which attacked enemy naval units and damaged a tor-pedo-boat and a cutter. Another group of aircraft silenced eight enemy gun batteries. Six mortar batteries destroyed an anti-aircraft installation, railway trucks, and station buildings in several places.—P.A.