SLIGHT RUSSIAN WITHDRAWALS

Timaru Herald, Volume CLII, Issue 22378, 16 September 1942, Page 5

SLIGHT RUSSIAN WITHDRAWALS

(1.40 a.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 15. The only changes on the Russian front during the last 24 hours appear to have been slight Russian withdrawals south-west of Stalingrad and in the Mosdok area, and slight Russian gains south of Leningrad in the Volkhov sector. Both north and west of Stalingrad the Russians appear to have stemmed the German advance. Last night’s supplementary communique said one Soviet unit had repelled attacks by 40 tanks west of Stalingrad, destroyed nine tanks, and wiped out three infantry companies. In the same area more than 6000 Germans are reported to have been killed or wounded during the last five days. Russian cavalry in the north-west sector have been inflicting losses on the enemy. In one sector south-west of the city, where the danger is now most serious, the enemy at the price of huge losses, succeeded in gaming ground slightly, says the Moscovz radio. One Soviet rifle unit was attacked by a large enemv tank and infantry force supported by about ,00 aircraft. The Germans broke through the defence line-, but the Russians launched a successful counter-attack, and the enemy was driven back to his original positions. The Germans have succeeded in getting more tanks across the Terek River in the Mosdok area, forcing a Russian withdrawal. The Russians have recaptured another settlement in the Sinyavino region.