SWAYIMG BATTLE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25101, 17 December 1942, Page 5

SWAYIMG BATTLE

KOTELNIKOVO SECTOR RUSSIAN RING UNBROKEN (Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 15. From the welter of terrific battles raging over the hundreds of miles on the Russian front comes an indication that the Germans are developing the expected .attempt to relieve General von Hoth by driving back the Russians holding the sectors on the StalingradKuban railway in the region of Kotelnikovo. The German aim, combined with the more northerly containing action, seems to be the ultimate envelopment of the Russians who have encircled General von Hoth. The Germans near Kotelnikovo are attacking heavily in terrain difficult to defend and over which in August they rapidly advanced to Stalingrad. Yet this time the Russians are holding them in a swaying struggle, in which the Wchrmacht is continuously suffering heavy losses in tanks and men.

The Stockholm correspondent of The Times says the Germans must greatly increase the weight of their attacks before claiming a chance of fulfilling even the first stage of such an operation. They would have had a better chance if they had attempted the relief in November. The Russians have since strengthened the ring, which is at present 50 miles thick near Kotelnikovo and scarcely thinner elsewhere. General von Hoth is still obtaining supplies by air. but ha is probably in difficulties with the wounded, whose numbers, with 94,000 killed in the last three weeks, must be an embarrassment. They are not being evacuated by air, except special cases. Available reports suggest that the Germans on the central front also have not organised the general transport of wounded to the rear, but it is impossible to say whether this is due to the deficiencies of the rolling stock or the inadequacy of the field hospitals in regions which have been occupied for a year The Germans seem to have taken about three weeks since the encirclement of their army west of Stalingrad to mount the counter-offensive for its relief. This has now developed from the direction of Kotelnikovo. It is presumed that the delay has been due to three causes—first, having no tactical reserves immediately available and having to bring troops from the Ukraine and the Crimea: secondly, bad weather hampered their movements: thirdly, the Russian offensive on the central front pinned down the reserves west of Moscow. The Germans report tnat the Russians are now probing their defences north of Voronezh. A Russian offensive alovg this part of the Don has been foreseen for a long time, but not expected until hard frosts enable tanks to cross the rivers and marshes. A heavy thaw has just taken place in the Moscow area, and its effect will probably extend at least as far south os Voronezh, consequently it is unlikely that an offensive will be made at present. In ordinary circumstances Stalingrad has a very dry climate, and the weather there may now be more favourable for movement.