VIOLENT CLASH

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24633, 12 July 1943, Page 3

VIOLENT CLASH

BATTLE OF MACHINES. NAZIS USE 1000 TANKS CRITICAL FIGHT RAGING (Reed. 10.10 p.m.) LONDON, July 11 The Berlin radio's military commentator said: "The greatest tank battle, great air activity and an intense artillery bombardment combine to make this the most violent battle of machines in this war. It can safely be assumed that the Russian commander, General Rokossovsky, still has strong tank reserves." The Berlin radio said that the German Tank Corps was locked in battles making greater demands of it than any other battle in this war.

Successive reports from Moscow received during last evening stressed the severity of the fighting in the Bielgorod sector—the southern claw of the pincers with which the Germans are hoping to pinch out the entire Kursk salient. On one sector of this front the enemy threw into battle over 1000 tanks and a large number of aircraft, artillei'y and infantry. The Danger Sector Russian tanks are lighting hard as the great battle on the eastern front reaches a critical point to throw back the German wedge driven into the defences south of Kursk, says lleuter's Moscow correspondent. The south flank of Kursk is not yet in serious danger, but much depends on who wins the next round. The danger area is in the sector somewhere between Bielgorod and Kursk. General von Kluge has not gained any big operational success yet, but Soviet military circles emphasise that German pressure is expected te increase and much heavy fighting is, still ahead. Von Kluge is now in the position of being "in for a penny, in for a pound." He has about 150,000 ground troops in line and reinforcements are coming up hourly. Throughout all the despatches to Moscow runs the phrase, "We have tamed the terrible Tiger—the muchvaunted German 60-ton tank." German Gain At Awful Cost Von Kluge persisted in hurling mechanical battering rams, led by Tiger tanks, against narrow sectors on the 125-mile wide Russian salient, but succeeded nowhere except in two places in the Bielgorod area. At the bottom of a 60-mile bulge in the enemy lines the panzer columns managed at awful cost, to wedge in there and advance slightly. The British United Press Moscow correspondent reports the Russians are using "'fire bags"—closely co-operating groups of tanks and guns —against the German tanks. In one case the Russians allowed the head of an advancing German column, comprising 40 tanks, to advance. Then a fire bag, comprising a tank unit and artillery, closed in and wiped out the enemy.

German losses are still soaring. One German infantry regiment withdrew after a day's fighting with 2000 men killed and GO tank* d est roved. Approaching a Climax

The Berne correspondent of the Evening Standard says neutral correspondents in Berlin report that the Germans no longer hide the fact that the battle of the Orel-Bioelgorod sector "has now reached such a [mint of intensity that both sides must, fight on either to victory or overwhelming defeat."

The Germans admit, they were forced to pour in all available reserves early on Tuesday last in order to stem a Russian counter-offensive. The mechanised battle at present under way in the Bielgorod semi-circle far outweighs in quantify and material engaged in any other battles fought on the Russian front. The Oslo radio says the Russians on the Orel-Btelgorod front are concentrating large forces for a counter-attack. Ihe battle is believed to be approaching a climax.

ARGENTINE POLICY MONTEVIDEO. July 10 ! The Argentine Foreign Minister, Rear-Admiral Storni, has sent a message to the Emergency Committee for the Political Defence of the Hemisphere that Argentina is studying co-operation in hemisphere defence. An Argentine delegate is attending the meeting of the Emergency Committee for the first time and promised that Argentina would co-operate in the best possible manner with other American nations Pro-democratic circles in Buenos" 1 Aires interpreted the Minister's announcement as paving the way for an eventual break with the Axis,