Russians Driving West

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIII, Issue 22475, 9 January 1943, Page 5

Russians Driving West

Germans Retreating in East Caucasus Whole Position Now Jeopardised By Telegraph—New Zealand Press Association—Copyright (Received 1 a.m.) LONDON, January 8. IIRIVING WEST along both banks of the Don, the Russians are smashing stiff German resistance, and are moving closer to Rostov. They are now reported to be within 70 miles of the city. The Germans have made strong counter-attacks with tanks, but the Soviet Air Force smashed many of them. As the Russians were sweeping toward Rostov, on a broad front north and south of the Lower Don, near the junction of the Don and the Donetz, the Berlin radio announced: “German troops in the East Caucasus are retreating.” Dr. Ley, in a speech, admitted the gravity of the threat to the German forces in Russia. He said that all reserves were being called up to defend Rostov. Germany and occupied Europe were being combed for men and materials. Swiss reports say that at least 15 German divisions are falling back across the Caucasus to take up positions before Rostov. The rapidity and weight of the Russian drive down the Lower Don jeopardises the whole German position in the Caucasus and opens the way for the encirclement of the strong German forces which have been making a stand at Manlich Lake and on the Manlich River.

The Moscow correspondent of "The Times'’ says that Red Army is closing the trap on the Wehrmacht in its imperilled south salient. The advance is most rapid. In the Central Caucasus the Germans have been driven almost 100 miles along the railway from positions they held before Vladikavkaz last November. The British United Press reports that the Russians, after capturing a group of villages, drove a sharp wedge and reached Bolshayaorlovka, 63 miles due north of Salysk. The Russians can push on straight to Rostov or drive toward Salysk and cut oft the German retreat along the StalingradKrasnodar railway. The Russians who captured Bolshayaorlovka broke through a 20-mile front on both sides of the Lower Don and have advanced 30 miles since capturing Tsymlyanskaya last Tuesday. Fast-Moving Columns Fast-moving Russian columns are driving further north-west along both sides of the Baku-Rostov railway after capturing Soldatskaya and Appolonskaya. The latter is 25 miles west of

Prokhladnaya. The Russians also captured considerable territory east and west of the railway. Reuter's correspondent says that the Russians occupied Urozhanoe. 120 mils due south of Elista. They have advanced 20 miles dally since New Year's Day, also in eight weeks they have driven more than 300 miles southwards from Stalingrad over the windswept, waterless Kalmuk steppes. They are now within striking distance of the branch railway to Georglevsk. The Stockholm correspondent of "The

Times” quotes Berlin commentators as saying that the Russians are numerically superior. They utilise storms, poor visibility and long nights for preparing surprises, secure from the eyes of German aircraft.

The Moscow radio says that hundreds of the Red Army doctors and nurses are following' up the advancing troops to care for the people in maces freed from German occupation. Their chief task is to succour thousands of children found in a state of complete collapse after months of starvation.

Eight Places Occupied

Continuing their offensive yesterday the Russians occupied anothqr eight places in the Middle Don front and cleared the enemy from 15 localities m the Central Caucasus.

The Soviet night communique said; "On Wednesday our troops, continuing their offensive in the Middle Dun, occupied the localities of KargalskoBelonsky, Verbovsky, Marinskaya, Kholodny, Kamyshevskaya, ■ Tssrevsi, Bolshaye-Orlovka and Chertkovskaya. In the Central Caucasus our troops waged fighting in the same direction as before.”

A supplementary communique said' “In the factory area of Stalingrad our troops, operating in small storm groups, wrecked 23 dugouts and killed the garisons. West of Stalingrad fighting proceeds for one height. The enemy is offering stubborn resistance, but our units have pressed forward, occupied 70 trenches, wiped out 400 German officers and men and captured booty. Soviet pilots destroyed enemy aerodromes, three German transport planes and shot down another nine in aerial combat.

“South-west and south of Stalingrad, our troops, overcoming enemy resistance, continued their offensive and occupied several localities. The Germans were dislodged from favourable defence positions and sustained heavy losses.

“Part of our forces in the Middle Don conducted operations aimed at the annihilation of encircled enemy garrisons. One Red Army tank unit forced in and dislodged the enemy from one strongly-fortified locality Three hundred German officers and men were killed, three enemy tanks put out of action and 18 lorries destroyed.

"On the central front our troops consolidated the occupied positions and on some sectors repelled counterattacks by the enemy.” The Russian forces on .he three southern fronts were reported last night to have driven the Germans still further back in the direction of Rostov, and at one place were only 70 miles from the city.

The Germans are still y coding ground north, south-east, and east of Rostov, and face yet another menri 'e, this time in the western Caucasus south of Rostav. The Paris radio stated that fighting had flared up along the coast betwen Tuapse and No-orossisk, where the Russian Army had held the Germans for a month.