STRONG GERMAN DRIVE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24944, 17 June 1942, Page 5

STRONG GERMAN DRIVE

FORCES HELD AT KHARKOV SEBASTOPOL'S GRIM ORDEAL (Rec. 0.30 a.m.) LONDON, June 16. The Germans' Kharkov offensive is clearly serious. Marshal Timoshenko's forces so far seem to be successfully absorbing a rapid succession of armoured punches. Failure of the Germans to achieve even a stalemate here may profoundly influence their chances of success in the drive against Rostov, and Marshal von Bock is sparing nothing to achieve his objectives. The Russians say he is suffering severe losses, notably 190 tanks in the past three days. A 8.8. C. observer states that the Germans are throwing in tanks in groups of 100 at a time. Because of the conformation of the country, however, these tactics are not proving successful, and infantry have been called on to bear the brunt of the fighting. The Germans' losses are out of all proportion to their gains, and prisoners state that the 72nd Division has lost three-quarters of its strength. It is claimed that the Germans, in addition to throwing in a huge new weight of men and metal against Sebastopol, are now using "superheavy " artillery which is capable of dealing with the Russian rock and concrete fortifications. Sebastopol's defenders are fighting back with ferocious determination, bombarding the Germans from caverns hewn in the cliffs or sallying out in local counter-attacks to exact the maximum toll for each German move.

A report from Moscow to-night reveals that Russian commandos, including sailors, marines and soldiers, are also participating in Sebastopql's defence. The Black Sea Fleet, it is reported, has swept in and bombarded German positions, sending over a heavy barrage and inflicting severe losses. An aircraft carrier with Stalin planes is assisting land-based planes in fighting off the incessant German raids on the city and outer defences. Fierce air duels rage throughout the day and' night. According to the Moscow correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, the Germans were employing 1500 planes in the Crimea yesterday. In one small sector of the perimeter alone they dropped 1000 bombs. They average 1000 flights a day over the city itself. A great part of the population of the city continues to pump lifeblood in the form of food, munitions and electric power to the forces manning the defences. These anonymous heroes, the citizens of Sebastopol, carry on with unruffled nerves. Even old men are armed to.the teeth with rifles and grenades, keeping the lines of communication open, putting out fires, and removing land mines from the city's streets.

CAUCASIAN OIL NAZIS' OBJECTIVE HEAVY PRESSURE ON KHARKOV LONDON, June 15. The battle on the Kharkov front is becoming more violent, says the Moscow radio. The enemy is suffei-ing heavy losses, and his tank columns, each consisting of 90 to 120 tanks, are falling back. Marshal von Bock is reported to be deploying 30 divisions around Kharkov, with another 30 in reserve—evidence that the Caucasian oil is Germany's first major objective this year. A German communique states: "We annihilated or took prisoner the remnants of the beaten Russian army to the east of Kharkov." .'."-.'.,. Hand-to-hand fighting continues on many parts of the perimeter defences before Sebastopol. The German High Command's claim that the Russians have been thrown out of several strongly-fortified positions, and that Axis infantry have thrust deeply into the Russian defence system is not confirmed. The Moscow report states that the Soviet troops defending Sebastopol have been reinforced by a large army of citizens, including women snipers. Fighting Near Leningrad While the German attacks against Kharkov and Sebastopol continue with increasing intensity, the Red Army is again attacking in the Volkhov sector between Leningrad and Lake Ilmen. Berlin says the fighting here is equal in intensity to that of last winter, when the Russian attacks caused the German lines to bulge but not break. A message from Helsinki says that German and Italian troops have been attacking Leningrad for two days from land and sea, assault barges being used to land troops behind the Russian lines. The Moscow newspaper Pravda states that the Germans have hurled reserves from other fronts against Sebastopol, thus further increasing the ferocity and scope of the battle. Especially violent battles took place on two sectors of the front, in which artillery, tanks, and infantry participated. The Soviet Air Force was active yesterday, destroying 13 tanks, damaging six others, and wiping out two companies of infantry. Soviet shore and naval batteries continue to support the defenders. Heavy Losses of Tanks

The latest Moscow communique states that in the Kharkov sector the Russians have repulsed further German tank and infantry assaults, 130 tanks being destroyed in one day. In the Sebastopol sector fighting is still fierce and heavy. The Germans are making a supreme effort to capture this stronghold, and are throwing in man-power, especially Rumanian manpower, without thought of the heavy loss. A German broadcast stated that the deep ravines and gorges in the approaches to Sebastopol made direct shelling practically impossible. Every man and woman in the fortress is armed and knows how to deal effectually with parachutists.