HITLER IN COMMAND

Southland Times, Issue 24757, 30 May 1942, Page 5

HITLER IN COMMAND

KHARKOV FRONT BATTLE RUSSIANS STILL ADVANCING (Rec. 10.30 p.m.) LONDON, May 28. Hitler has assumed personal command of operations on I* 1 ® Kharkov front. A German High Command spokesman, broadcasting, said: “Our Fuhrer has taken personal direction of strategic operations on the Kharkov front. We look to. his genius as a strategist to bring about full victory.” Moscow reports, meanwhile, maintain that the Russians are attacking and advancing on all important sectors of the whole front. The Moscow correspondent of The Times says that German and Rumanian reinforcements arrived on the Isyum-

Barvenkova sector but were unable to force a crossing of the riverline on which the bulk of the fighting is raging. Russian gunners, cleverly concealed on the river bank, held their fire until the Germans were at the water’s edge. Russian infantry crossed the river and attacked the Germans with bayonets, after the bombardment, killing a thousand of the enemy and frustrating the crossing. Two Rumanian regiments, supported by tanks, which succeeded in harassing a Russian garrison, were flung back when Russian reinforcements arrived. Five hundred Rumanian dead were left on the battlefield after a day and night engagement. The Russian flanks of the Kharkov sector are holding firm against the enemy’s tank wedges. Fighting has again flared up on the Bryansk front. The Germans are divebombing Russian positions, but Russian infantry beat off several German attacks. INITIATIVE WITH RUSSIANS Further evidence that Marshal Timoshenko retains the initiative is seen in the German reports that the Red Army is staging diversionary manoeuvres north-east of Kharkov and in the Moscow announcement that Red cavalry penetrated 40 miles behind the German lines between the Isyum battlefront and the Sea of Azov, killing 3000 of the enemy. . The military correspondent of The Daily Express says that from the melee of this confused battle two facts emerge: First, the Russians still have their backs to the Donetz River; second, reinforcements to replace the heavy casualties are arriving with clockwork precision. He adds: “For the Germans, success in this battle is vital. If they lose it they will have been thrown out of the strategic positions necessary for any advance through the Ukraine and along the coastal belt towards Rostov. For this reason von Bock is using up men and material at a prodigal rate. By now he may be drawing on his major reserves.” “If the Russians are compelled to fall back they will at least have secured from a fortnight’s to a month’s postponement of the long-prepared all-out German offensive.” FIERCE BATTLE A fierce battle has also been going on for the past three days on the northwest sector of tire front around Lake Ilmen. The Russians repulsed seven attacks and killed 1000 Germans. Red Star reports that a fresh German division was sent into action on the Kalinin front, but the Russians, taking advantage of the wooded, marshy country counter-attacked and beat back the advance. The pilots of Hurricanes on the Russian front are using a new type of rocket bomb which is mounted under the wing and is propelled by a rocket as soon as the target is within the sights. ______________