GERMANS HELD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25276, 13 July 1943, Page 5

GERMANS HELD

BYELGOROD SECTOR SETBACK FOR TANKS FORCED TO WITHDRAW (Rec. 7 p.m.) RUGBY, July 11. The German wedges in the neighbourhood of Byelgorod are in danger i of being cut off by mass attacks of I Soviet tanks, artillery, and- aircraft, i which are growing in. weight and ini tensity, states a Moscow message, which adds that despatches from the front stats that the wedges are of considerable width and depth, and all the German attempts to increase them have failed. In the cramped space the Germans are fighting at a serious disadvantage, while the Russians enjoy free, dom of manoeuvre. Due north of Byelgorod 500 tanks, headed bv Tigers, attacked on a narrow front, and, after an exhausting threehour battle, captured a populated point. While the enemy regrouped their depleted forces b?’nind a screen of aerial bombs, masses of Soviet tanks struck a crushing counterblow and recaptured the settlement. The German tanks withdrew under air cover, but Soviet fighters were brought up, and overwhelmed the German aircraft, and bombers attacked a German armoured camp and disorganised masses of tanks, caterpillar guns, and motorised infantry. This happened at the apex of one of the wedges, and was one of the most severe tactical setbacks for the Germans since the begining of the offensive. ' „ Russian Air Mastery Another Moscow message states that the Russians are retaining mastery of the air in the Kursk salient, in spite of German aerial reinforcements. A , Russian communique states: “ Soviet troops in the Orel, Kursk, and Byelgorod directions continued t 6 repel attacks by enemy tanks and infantry. Our troops destroyed or damaged 162 tanks. In aerial engagements and bv A.A. fire 31 German planes were shot down.” , According to Soviet communiques so far received, the Germans have lost in the seven days of fighting in the above sectors at least 2500 tanks and 1068 planes. A supplementary Russian communique described the continued holding of the German attacks on the OrelKursk sector and stubborn engagements in the Byelgorod sector. “In the Orel-Kursk sector,” the communique says, “the enemy, having.failed, to achieve success during an all-day offensive, again attempted to-day to break through our defence, using large forces. All the attacks were frustrated, and in the evening the enemy was repelled to his initial positions, leaving many disabled and destroyed •tanks. During to-day’s fighting on this sector alone the enemy lost over 2000 officers and men. In another sector on the same front a large force of Soviet aircraft dealt a blow against an e»emy tank division, disabling several dozen tanks and dispersing and partly annihilating two German infantry regiments as well as dislodging the enemy from two localities. “In the Byelgorod sector our troops fought a stubborn engagement, holding positions against attacks from several directions and knocking out 34 tanks and five armoured cars, as well as smashing 14 guns. The Soviet Air Force is subjectin| enemy concentrations and communications to incessant bombing, Inflicting heavy losses.” Moscow radio officially announced last night that Soviet aircraft bombed the railway junction of Byelgorod, where there was a large concentratibn of enemy trains. Many fires broke out and pilots observed many explosions, one of which was a huge one. All the Soviet planes returned. Heavy Losses of Tanks Hitler is losing an average of one tank every three or four minutes, and approximately eight planes every hour, says Moscow radio. “Never before have German generals seen their equipment go So fast.” The newspaper Pravda says that, instead of attacking communication lines, railway junctions, and aerodromes, as in the previous offensive, the Luftwaffe is now almost exclusively concerned with the battlefield. The Germans are attaching all types of bombers and fighers to the ground units, but the enemy’s plans are being frustrated. He is losing the initiative and hundreds of planes in fighting the general air battle on the Orel-Kursk-Byelgorod front. At noon yesterday 500 Russian and German planes were observed simultaneously over one sector.