TWO WEDGES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25275, 12 July 1943, Page 3

TWO WEDGES

RUSSIAN LINES BROKEN THE BYELGOROD AREA HUGE GERMAN LOSSES (Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, July 11. The latest front-line reports show that there is a considerable increase in the German pressure through two wedges driven into the Russian lines south and southeast of Kursk, says Reuter’s Moscow correspondent. Very heavy fighting is going on around a township which has already changed hands three or four times. The Moscow correspondent of the Sunday Times says the Russians are in a difficult position in the Byelgorod area south of the Kursk salient. The penetrations of two tank w'edges are some miles deep, and the Russian defence lines have broken up. It is freely admitted in Moscow that the situation at Byelgorod is less favourable than at any time since the opening of the German offensive on July 5.

The newspaper Red Star says: “ There are cases where individual Russian units have been forced to retire to new positions, but we subsequently brought in reserves, and by determined counter-attacks forced the enemy back to his initial positions.” A Moscow communique says: “The Russians yesterday on the Orel, Kursk and Byelgorod fronts repulsed many attacks from large enemy forces. The Red Army in the Orel-Kursk sector held an enemy attack. The Germans in • one sector attacked at several points simultaneously. Our units repelled 10 attacks, held on to the positions, killed about 1500, and destroyed 40 tanks. The Russians in the Byelgorod sector engaged in stubborn battles. The Germans brought up fresh reserves and attempted to develop an offensive in a sector where their tanks had previously driven a wedge. The Russians held and immobilised the enemy, inflicting enormous losses. The Germans lost another 272 tanks and 83 planes on the Kursk front today, according to to-night’s Soviet communique, which says that, according to figures now completed, the enemy yesterday lost 223 tanks destroyed or damaged and 144 planes brought down. The Germans therefore in the six-clav offensive have lost 233 S tanks and 1037 planes. Soviet long-range aircraft last night for the fifth successive night heavily attacked targets in the enemy’s rear. Soviet aircraft sank an enemy submarine in the Black Sea.

Berlin radio’s military commentator said the great tank battle,' the great air activity, and the intense artillery bombardment combine to make this the most violent battle of machines in this war. It can safely be assumed that the Russiap commander, Colonelgeneral Rokossovsky, still has strong tank reserves.

Moscow radio reports that in the Orel, and Kursk directions German troops having suffered heavy losses of material, are bringing up new reserves. Heavy German tank attacks made a slight penetration of the Russian positions, but heavy losses were' inflicted on the enemy, and compelled pirn to retreat.

Successive reports from Moscow received during the evening stressed the severity of the fighting in the Byelgorod 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 the battle over 1000 tanks and a large number of aircraft, artillery, and infantry. The Soviet air force is successfully’ opposing the enemy land and air forces. In one attack on an enemy aerodrome 34 German aircraft were shot down.

Berlin radio said the German tank corps was locked in battles which were making greater demands on them than any other battle of this war. Berlin ,radio claimed that* a formation of storm troopers crossed the Donetz, and that the positions gained were held against all Russian attempts to recapture them.