THAT CURSED TEREK

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 241, 13 October 1942, Page 5

THAT CURSED TEREK

FRONT-LINE STORY BY NAZI REPORTER (Recd. 7.35 p.m.) London, Oct. 11. Berlin radio broadcast a frontline reporter’s story of the fighting in the Mosdok area, the latest events in which occurred last week. “The battle has been raging for weeks near the cursed Terek River, which has swallowed so much of our comrades' blood. Soviet forces are using every device of fortification. A German infantry division forced the Terek River early in September and formed a bridgehead with a radius two miles. The Russians attacked the bridgehead trenches and minefields with heavy artillery and prevented us advancing. We formed a second bridgehead but al! attempts to unite the bridgeheads failed. Finally, we formed a third bridgehead. A village lay before us and it became hell. The Russian gunners poured shells into tne village. We had to get through at any cost and succeeded in reaching bloodsoaked Hill 404. Our general suddenly appeared and ordered us back. The Russians had attacked our flank. We raced back and abandoned the two localities. It was one of those terrible Soviet flank attacks. Numberless tanks and infantry forced us back yard by yard. The battle lasted 14 hours and the countryside for miles was on fire. More than 50 Soviet tanks were left on the battlefield, but we lost many a comrade. Many German tanks which had advanced hundreds of miles met their fate her 0 . We formed a defensive front next day and regained the two hills.” The reporter said the Germans subsequently seized a rail bridge across the Terek. “Surrounded by dust and smoke, tortured by thirst and without food or drink all day, we fought with only one thought—to cross the cursed Terek.”