FREQUENT ATTACKS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 203, 28 August 1943, Page 5

FREQUENT ATTACKS

NAZI COUNTER-DRIVES Recd. 6 p.m. Rugby, Aug. 26. Frequent German counter-attacks are cGiaracteristic of the fighting throughout the area of the Russian offensive with the enemy constantly bringing up fresh men and tanks. The Gennaais have created special counter-attacking groups which are hastily thrown in whenever conditions favour a counter-drive. There was a particularly determined enemy attempt on Wednesday south-vest of Voroshilovgrad, where several dozen tanks, with air support and large infantry forces, attacked the drawn-out right flank of the Red Army and simultaneously harassed the left flank. The initial success of the enemy drive petered out. and th-e Russians resumed their offensive, capturing an important settlement, and forcing a river position, thereby creating a grave threat to a larger enemy force, consisting mainly of remnants of units already routed in Soviet attacks. According to to-day's Red Star the Germans are attempting to bomb the Russians in the Kharkov area by using large groups of bombers escorted by fighters, but the Soviet forces are successfully dealing with them. Yesterday, nine Soviet lighters met 40 German bombers escorted by about the same number of fighters. Despite their numerical inferiority the Russians shot down 22 machines. Izvestia reports that the Germans are forcing their soldiers in the Donetz Basin to sign a paper promising that they will fight to the last. In addition, their machine-gunners have been ordered to shoot any soldier fleeing from the field. t “This step is futile,” says the newspaper. “as the Red Army is pressing forward and possesses the initiative and superiority.”—B.O.W.