DESPERATE HOLD

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24676, 31 August 1943, Page 3

DESPERATE HOLD

LAST-DITCH DEFENCE WEAKER RESISTANCE SUPPLIES ABANDONED (Eecd. 7.30 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 30 The Germans in the Ukraine and Donetz Basin appear to have given up any idea except of last-ditch defence. Renter's correspondent in Moscow giving details of the latest position on the three main fronts says the Germans west of Kharkov are still fighting desperately, but their resistance is beginning to weaken in a number of places. The Germans in retreat beyond Lebedf, 100 miles west of - Kharkov, are abandoning stores and munitions in their flight. The Red Army in this sector pressing on remorselessly as its main foices reach advanced battle lines along the Upper Psiol River. Donetz and Briansk Fronts Regarding the Donetz Basin, the correspondent says the Germans are apparently giving up hope of recapturing their positions east of Stalino and are now making desperate efforts to establish new lines. Thfe revived Russian offensive on the Briansk front is becoming increasingly threatening for the German positionat Briansk, which has so far been protected by huge forest land east and north of the town. The correspondent emphasises that the Russians in the past 48 hours have not only over-run the important town of Sevsk, where street fighting lasted for 24 hours, but the Red Army has also inflicted a heavy defeat against the German reinforcements which arrived too late to save Sevsk and were badly cut up several miles outside the town. Battle for Sevsk Describing bow the Russians took Sevsk, the correspondent says that the town was subdued partly by a ruse which caught the Germans on the wrong foot. The Russians, instead of starting their barrage at dawn, which they always so far have done, on Friday waited until well past 8 a.m., by which time the enemy thought the remainder of the day would be quiet. The Russians then poured into the town and found ft practically deserted, with only a few hundred able-bodied inhabitants left. The rest of the population had been deported last winter to Germany. The correspondent adds that the advancing Russians are encountering terrible devastation For instauce, along the main road from Orel to Briansk there used to exist a long chain of villages. All that now remains of those sites are placards giving the name of the village and the date on which it was destroyed by the Germans.

GREAT NAVAL FORCES

BLOWS AHEAD FOR JAPAN WASHINGTON, Auk. -2!) "Huge naval task forces, with a spearhead of carrier-based aircraft, are poising for new pile-driver blows against the enemy in the Pacific," said ViceAdmiral John S. McCain, deputy-Chief of Naval Aviation. Elaborating this statement, the Navy Department spokesman said that approximately a dozen new combat air-craft-carriers had been launched since the attack on Pearl Harbour, in addition to undisclosed numbers of "baby flat-tops" which will help to smash the Japanese. He added that 27,500 naval bombing, fighting and cargo planes would be in service by the end of the year to operate from these carrier and naval and land bases. The Navy was training 30,000 pilots a year and building 200 lighter-than-nir ships. CITIES OF BRITAIN PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORDS LONDON, July 27 By the end of last year photographs had been taken of all the important buildings in three-quarters of the British towns and cities likely to attract the German raiders. This was disclosed in the annual report of the Pilgrim Trust. When the work of "recording Britain" is finished this, summer the trustees believe that a reasonably comprehensive pictorial record will be available. A supplementary project of microphotographing; Chancery, Exchequer and Court records is being completed on raidless nights by members of the public record office on voluntary, airraid protection duty.