KERCH PENINSULA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 111, 15 May 1942, Page 5

KERCH PENINSULA

• STUBBORN FIGHTING IN , PROGRESS GERMAN CLAIMS REFUTED London, May 13. No official comment on th? fighting in the Kerch Peninsula has come from the Russians today, hut a special dispatch about the hattie sent to the 8.15. C. from Moscow says that stubborn fighting is continuing. Nothing has yet been said in Moscow, says th" dispatch, about the strength of th? Gt rman assault, nor have any details of the lighting be“n officially disclosed. What is certain is that the Russians, as well as the Germans, have been preparing for some such action as thi> for months. The Black Sea fleet and air arm are closely co-operating with the Russian land forces fighting on the peninsula. For the moment it is believed that the Germans aim merely at o- cupying the peninsula as a necessary first step to an attack on the mainland. If, as seems likely, the tversch attack is the first move in Hitler's 1942 offensive, the dispatch concludes, this at least can be said of it: it contained no element of surprise. The commander of the Russian Army in the Caucasus is reported to be bringing up fresh reinforcements for the battle, which has largely resolved itself inro a duel between German dive-bombers and Soviet aircraft and between heavy artillery on both sides. The Germans to-day, abandoning their earlier attitude of caution, made sweeping claims about the battle, which is in its fifth day. A special announcement from Hitler’s headquarters said that the battle was over, and that the Russians had ted. A few the German r: To modi'.' ’.this with th? announcement that lighting wa. l still in pro_r ss and that it was takin-r a favourable course for the Germans and Rumanians engaged. There is no confirmation from the Russians of cither of these <. '.ms. and to-day s Soviet communique says there have been no major changes at the front. Moscow radio to-day declared tnat • ing strength for what it called the final stru— e. It added that the Kerch battle ■?■ ■ - kirg-dy one of planes and heaw artillcn because the 15mile front from v.hich the Germans launched their attack was too narrow for the ust of I i masses of tanks and infantry, but that between the comparatively small forces engaged 1 The Russians estimate the enemy s strength on the peninsula at three or four div: :us one tanke division. The Red Star savs that in the Done:z Bakin ’ffi- RedArmx has driven the enemy from a heavik fortified position of -■.• at - . importance. Other Sov’/ t .<i are claimed in the Smo'-’ii.-k and Kalinin regions. ON LENINGRAD FRONT RUSSIAN SUCCESSES (Recd. 11.45 p.m.) Rugby. May 14. A Soviet communique states: On th" Leningrad front on Tuesday Soviet trio; .■> o jpied ten enem\ ti ing two tanks, seven armoured cars and four guns. On one sector of the north-western front the Russians, in fierce fighting occupied two enemy sea defence positions, inflicting severe terial. On another sector of the same front they destroyed 28 blockhouses and several machine-gun nests. A Moscow message speaks of a daring raid on an enemy aerodrome on the southern front by Soviet planes, which destroyed 19 and damaged 21 enemy planes. Enemy attempts to use transport planes on a large scale to relieve the ent ircled German 16th army in the north-west have been frustrated, as th* 1 Russians have brought down 229 in the course of several days. In addition 37 fighters have been destr-x ■•• d- 8.0.W.