CLOSING ON VIAZMA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 64, 17 March 1942, Page 5

CLOSING ON VIAZMA

NAZI STRONG-POINT TAKEN RUSSIANS ENCIRCLING OREL (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright J (Recd. 7.30 p.m.) London, March 15. The Russians are reported to have stormed and captured a strongly-fortified German position in the Smolensk region, where the Russian ring seems to be closing around Viazma, the key town on the only line of retreat left to the Germans in this sector. Here the Russians are said to have wiped out 13,000 German officers and men. The military correspondent of Pravda says that the enemy is clinging to every yard of occupied territory, but has been forced to retreat under the blows of the Red Army.

The Russians are steadily tightening their encirclement of Orel, says the Stockholm correspondent of the Daily Telegraph. Heavy fighting is proceeding at Khotynets and also at Olshanks, 12 miles south-westwaxl of Orel. Orel is defended by a miniature i Siegfried line. Blockhouses, mine- i fields, tank-traps and wire en- | tanglements surround outlying villages. The city is stocked with masses of supplies, enabling it to withstand a long siege. Powerful Russian infantry and tank forces are striking heavily against Taganrog from the northeast after a prolonged artillery bombardment. Russian ski troops are also attacking Taganrog across the frozen Azov Sea. Moscow radio says Russia has buiit up a tank force equal to anything the Germans can throw into the spring campaign. Spring is near and the Red Army is ready to deal still I heavier blows against the enemy. The Russians claim that following : a one-day battle in the Ukraine the first count of enemy casualties j showed that 650 German officers and • men were killed. Many more were taken prisoner. The Russians claim the capture of ; three more places between Rjev and Staraya Russa, but only after fierce fighting. It is on this front that the Germans are using their new Messerschmitt 115's, machines which are entrusted only to crack airmen and which were* meant for the spring offensive. Moscow radio says that three of them have been shot down. Further south, waves of enemy infantry supported by tanks launched a number of counter-attacks. These were repulsed with heavy losses, and ; 20 German tanks were destroyed. ! In the Crimea the Germans themselves have admitted the weight and I severity of the Russian attacks. VIOLENT BATTLE RUSSIANS’ BID TO REACH RAILWAY (Recd. 5.5 p.m.) London, March 15. ; A most violent battle is proceeding | along the line between Rjev and Byeloi. through which the Russians . are attempting to break to reach the I Viazma-Smolensk railway, says the l Dagens Nyheter’s Berlin correspond- ; ent. The Russians have passed i Elnia and occupied Levikono and j Glinka, respectively five and eleven J miles from Elnia, on the Smolensk | highway. 1 Moscow message reports that .he ■ crack “Berlin Bear ’ regiment of the j 257th Division was routed on the southern front when the Russians re- i occupied a big village. Among the prisoners were some who had recently arrived from Germany and who stated that Berlin was filled with wounded. TRAPPED NAZI ARMY SITUATION CRITICAL (Recd. 11.20 p.m. l Rugby, March 16 | Reports from Moscow state that j the situation of the trapped German i 16th. Army is critical, with the Rus- | sians capturing village after village ; and narrowing the noose. More in- ; stances of surrender are reported in “ dispatches from the front, while at i other points the enemy’s resistance j is becoming even more desperate. — ; 8.0.W. LIBERATION OF KHARKOV “HOUR IS AT HAND” ; Rugby, March 15. ; The hour of Kharkov s liberation is at hand, declares th% Red Star. Guerillas within Kharkov are almcst daily blowing up German mili- : tary quarters. In January they blew . up the headquarters of the Sixty- ' eighth Division, killing all the staff ■ officers, including Commander Braun. • A Ukrainian girl shot another* ’ general as he walked to his car and a German guardsman executed the I girl on the spot. The Red Star says that soon after j the occupation of Kharkov the Ger- i mans executed 14,000 civilians and ; the basement of the Hotel Inter- ■ nationale was converted into leath cells and execution chambers. Twelve , hundred Russians are in the ceha • awaiting execution. More them 100 Russians were hanged in the sh eets | Disease and starvation are rampant ! and dead are daily picked up in the j streets. The Times Stockholm correspondent says that Marshal Timo- i shenko is throwing a heavier weight : than ever into the offensive beio;v I Kharkov. * A German spokesman admitted i that German position.*. In the Donetz ‘ Basin are hard-pressed.— 8.0.W.