Red Army Halts Titanic Hun Drive

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 124, 28 May 1942, Page 7

Red Army Halts Titanic Hun Drive

STRONG LINE HELD

Von Bock's Spearhead Reported In Difficulties

(United Press Association.—Copyright.—Rec. 1 p.m.) LONDON, May 27. The Red Army has checked a frenzied German attempt to smash its left flank in the Ukraine. Red Star, the Soviet military journal, says General von Bock's offensive on the Isyum-Barven-kova sector has been halted at an important river crossing, where the Russians are holding a strong line and counter-attacking and advancing. ■A. Stockholm report received from Moscow states that the Russians have penetrated the flank of the German wedge on the Isyum-Barvenkova front and cut off the spearhead of the main German thrusts. A terrific tank battle is raging in the Kharkov area. The Red Star reports that the Russians have recaptured more villages. The latest German communique claims that the annihilation of the Russian armies encircled southward of Kharkov is rapidly progressing after fresh fruitless attempts to break out. Von Bock s desperate gamble is not succeeding, says the Daily Express military writer, who adds: "Unless the Russian defence line breaks almost immediately von Bock's mighty armoured thrust must be written down as a failure-** The Times Stockholm correspondent says von Bock's frantic and titanic efforts to break through the Red Army's left flank are dictated directly by the High Command. Von Bock was told that his armies must win or die where they stood. The Daily Telegraph Stockholm correspondent deduces from the brief German communiques that things are going badly for the Germans, or at most that they are only holding their own. The Vichy radio states that Russian resistance southwards of Kharkov is becoming more stubborn. The Russians have counter-attacked in the Isyum-Barvenkova sector and succeeded in piercing the German lines.