UNABATED FURY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 60, 12 March 1942, Page 5

UNABATED FURY

BATTLE RAGING ON RUSSIAN FRONT LARGE FORCES INVOLVED CRITICAL POSITION OF NAZIS AT RJEV (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright t • Reed. 8.30 p.m.) London. March 10. All reports agree that a battle is raging with unabated fury at the southern end of the Russian front, with the Russians attacking over a wide area with large forces, including tank formation and strong artillery. The Stockholm correspondent of The Times says one of the most important and also one of the least detailed Russian thrusts is the southward drive toward the region of the Dneiper elbow. The Germans are believed to have sent strong mixed reinforcements thither to prevent a Russian descent to Zaporozhe, thence to the Sea ol Azov which will cut off the German garrisons in the Donetz Basin and the Sea of Azov coast. The pocket containing Orel has been tightened by further Russian gains south-west of Orel. General Zhukov has now apparently established himself astride a line from Rjev to Viazma by the capture of Sychevka, thereby dividing a large cask in twain. One pocket contains Viazma and Gjatsk and the other Rjev. The position of the Germans in the Rjev area is critical because the sole remaining railway is cut and there is a meagre chance of relief from anywhere except Viazma, which itself is nearing the critical stage, with the sole communication the railway to Smolensk, which for a long stretch is within range of the Russian guns and is threatened with complete severance any day. ENCIRCLEMENT OF OREL BATTLE FOR SMOLENSK KEYPOINT London, March 10. The Stockholm correspondent of the Daily Telegraph reports that the Russian armies which last week completed the encirclement of Orel are reported to-day to be battling for strong points between six and 30 miles from Orel. General Zhukov’s southern armies are strongly engaging the Germans less than ten miles from Yelnya, the keypoint of Smolensk’s south-eastern defences.