HAMMER BLOWS

Waikato Times, Volume 130, Issue 21653, 13 February 1942, Page 3

HAMMER BLOWS

RUSSIAN ATTACKS FIGHT FOR LENINGRAD ATTEMPT TO BREAK GRIP (United Press Assn. —Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Feb. 12 The Russians continue incessantly hammering, from within and from without, the German chain stretched from the Baltic Sea to Lake Ladoga, which is still barring Leningrad’s land connection with Russia proper. The strength of these blows may be judged from the German radio’s description of eight attacks launched on the Leningrad front on February 9. This radio says that each attack was a battalion strong and was supported by tanks. The Russians, at some points penetrated, the German lines, but according to the radio the German infantry threw them back. Simultaneously the Russians from Lake Ladoga’s ice and along the shore persistently strive to prise the Shlusselburg end of the investing arc open or gouge a passage along the shore. Rolling Movement The Times Stockholm correspondent says a few days ago this operation appeared to be verging on achievement, but latest reports do not reflect a deepening or broadening of the penetration which was so successfully begun. Nothing, however, suggests that the Germans managed to drive out the Russian wedge and the Russian design to begin a rolling movement to liberate Leningrad may yet materialise. The Daily Telegraph’s Stockholm correspondent says the news that Soviet forces fighting north and west of Lake Ilmen stormed 46 German bunkers and other fortified positions indicates that General Meretskoff’s troops are now battling on the outskirts of von Leeb’s main lines around Leningrad.

A Finnish radio report says a massed Russian attack has broken the German lines at a point northwest of Lake Ilmen. Messages from Berlin confirm bitter fighting on the northern front, where a full-scale battle is stated to have been raging for 10 days. The battles in the Leningrad area are bloody, with the Germans still sending up air-borne reinforcements and the Luftwaffe doing its utmost to hamper the Russian attacks. Closing Round Kharkov

Marshal Timoshenko’s grip is closing slowly around Kharkov. Russian military authorities say the Germans have rushed up 15 divisions to this sectoi*.

Hundreds of nameless battles in which hundreds of nameless heroes are daily slaughtered are again the only feature reports, except the German radio statement that the Russians are attacking the railway from Stalino to Taganrog and heavy fighting is proceeding.

The German radio says heavy fighting is going on also at Sebastopol and Kerch. Heavy shelling and counter-shelling have been resumed at Sebastopol without apparently altering the position. A heavily-delayed message states that the Germans describe a fourday battle east of Kharkov, in which the Russians penetrated the German lines but were beaten off with 4000 killed. The Russians enumerate similar encounters in several sectors, but consistently refer to the “retreating enemy.” In the Kharkov sector one Russian unit accounted for 2500 German officers and men, while an anti-tank squad destroyed 38 German tanks. In the last encounter the Russians lost their lives, but they prevented the Germans from breaking through. Drive to Smolensk

The Times’ Stockholm correspondent believes that Viazma is still in German hands and that General Zhukoff’s southern army is approximately on a line with Roslavl-Suk-hinichi.

The Times adds that General Zhukoff may capture Rjev and Viazma and even reach Smolensk before the thaw, but too much should be expected. The progress is mostly a slow gnawing and hammering against strongly defended zones. Although delayed announcements give the impression that progress is by spurts, the character of the operations appears similar to that in the Orel, Kursk and Taganrog sectors, whence a more definite announcement of recent Russian progress can be expected soon, says the Times. According to the Moscow radio the Russians on the central front continue to push back the Germans in spite of counter-attacks. The British United Press Stockholm correspondent, quoting a report received by the Nyadabligt Allehanda from Berlin, says the temperature on the southern front has suddenly risen to spring levels and melting snow is creating transport difficulties. Frost from 20 to 25 degrees Fehrenheit is still being experienced in the central and northern fronts. The British United Press adds that another freeze invariably follows an early thaw.