BATTLE OF SUPPLIES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 1 June 1943, Page 5

BATTLE OF SUPPLIES

THE RUSSIAN FRONT FIGHTING IN THE KUBAN CLAIM BY GERMANS (Rec. 11.40 a.m.) London, May 31. Although the Russians have made only cursory references to the Kuban fighting, Berlin to-day claimed that the recent tliree-day battle in the Kuban was one of the hardest fought anywhere on the Eastern Front. A German frontline reporter broadcasting over Berlin radio declared: “The Russians rained down 20,000 shells and dropped 10,000 bombs on German positions. Russian squadrons at night flew in such close formation that collision was the pilots’ greatest risk.” The reporter added that the Kuban struggle v/as a huge battle of supplies, implying that the Germans so far have won it. Berlin radio stated that continued Russian attempts yesterday to penetrate the rear of the German defensive front by landing from the Sea of Azov, through the lagoon area at the mouth of the Kuban river, again failed owing to the alertness of special Luftwaffe formations whose bombs and machinegun fire sank fifteen fully laden landing craft and two freighters.

The Exchange Telegraph agency’s correspondent in Zurich says neutral correspondents in Berlin are drawing attention to the fact that German War Office spokesmen are emphasising that the Russians possess material superiority of ten to one on the Kuban front. Correspondents say this has given rise to the supposition that the evacuation of Novorossiisk is about to begin. Fighting again flared up around the mid-Donetz bridgeheads. A German news agency reported that the Russians launched two attacks in the Lisichansk area, and added that very heavy artillery and mortar fire strongly supported the attacks. COMMUNICATIONS RAIDED A special Soviet communique states: “Last night strong forces of Soviet long-range aircraft, only one of which is missing, attacked the railway junction at Gomel and the station at Karachev. Trains and artillery depots were plastered with bombs. Fires destroyed many trains while others were burnt out. Especially heavy explosions were caused in an artillery depot at Karachev.” An ordinary communique to-night reports continuation of fighting northeastward of Novorossiisk and the destruction during the v ?k ended 29th May of 456 German planes for the loss of 118 Russian. In the Barents Sea an enemy transport was sunk.—B.O.W. and P.A.

NO GERMAN OFFENSIVE?

OPINION IN BERLIN THREAT FROM THE WEST London, May 31. According to Reuter’s Stockholm correspondent, “Basler Nachrichten’s” Berlin correspondent says that opinion prevailing in Berlin, which is confirmed by high German officials, is that there will be no German offensive on the Russian front this summer because German troops are tired out. “La Suisse’s” Berlin correspondent says the German believe Russian concentrations south of Moscow are purely defensive, and that generally summer operations will be “sitzkreig.” It is because of the threat from the west that the Germans decided to economise in the eastern campaign. Reuter adds that these reports are the most definite of a series recently reaching neutral countries from Berlin. Some observers are prepared to believe that the Germans do not intend or are unable to stage a large-scale offensive, but the possibility of a deliberate Nazi propaganda campaign to mislead the Russians must not be excluded. —B.O. W.