NORTHERN CAUCASUS IN GRAVE DANGER

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 177, 29 July 1942, Page 5

NORTHERN CAUCASUS IN GRAVE DANGER

DOH BATTLES RAGE

Russians Still Advance On Voronezh Front U.P.A. and British Wireless Rec. 1 p.m. LONDON, July 28. Though few details are given in the Russian report, it is clear that the battle along 250 miles of the lower reach of the Don continues to be critical for the whole plan of the defence of the Northern Caucasus and the lower Volga. The bitterest fighting continues on both sides of the river at various places where the Germans crossed or where the Russians are withdrawing across. Besides the crossing they effected at Tsymlyanskaya the Germans are stated to have crossed at Nelikhovskaya, south-east of Shaksti, perhaps at two places. The morning Soviet report mentions only that at the estuary of the river the Russians repulsed many attacks. The Russians have improved their positions at several places at Voronezh, where there is bitter fighting on the western bank of the Don and a German attack was repulsed. In fighting of local importance on the Kalinin front the Germans who penetrated the Russian positions were compelled to retreat. There is no disposition in Moscow to underestimate the gravity of Marshal Timoshenko's position. All the Moscow morning papers printed the following warning to the nation: "The enemy is surging ever closer to four of our most vital life centres. The Fatherland is in grave danger." The German communique states that the bridgehead over the Don near Rostov has been considerably widened in a southern direction. German infantry and motorised units have crossed the Don on a broad front eastwards of Rostov and reached Manich and Salsk. Hun Counter-attack Falls •A Moscow message reports that the Germans on the Voronezh front are still attempting to hold the Russian advance, which has assumed dangerous proportions. All German attempts to dislodge the Russians from the west bank of the Don have failed. The Germans have now fortified the villages and mined territory in the northern and southern Voronezh sectors in an effort to slow down the Russians. The Germans yesterday counter-attacked in the south in an attempt to push the Russians across the Voronezh River, which is a small tributary of the Don. The Russians repulsed the enemy and continued to advance. The Moscow radio announces that the Russian Arctic Fleet Air Arm sank three large transports and set fire to warehouses at a northern enemy port. The radio also announces that more German divisions from France and Holland are arriving at the Russian southern front. General Zhukov's forces on the Kalinin front have killed 2000 Germans in a struggle for a number of localities. Hand-to-hand fighting occurred and one village changed hands five times. There is no confirmation of the German claims to have captured Bataisk, 10 miles south of Rostov, and to have surrounded the town of Azov, west of the city. The Vichy radio states that units of the Red Fleet have been evacuated from Rostov to Yeisk, near the entrance to the Taganrog Gulf. Desperate fighting continues day and night along the 300 miles of river front between Rostov and Kalach, on the Don elbow, 40 miles west of Stalingrad. The Germans are going all out to capture Stalingrad and they claim already to have taken Kalach.

Drive to Stalingrad The Moscow radio says Marshal limoshenko's forces, continuing their advance west of the Don routed two German battalions. Russian infantry, tanks and planes northwest of Voronezh are storming German pillboxes and dugouts, and Russian artillery south of the city is heavily shelling enemy positions. Kussian planes destroyed three river crossings. The Moscow radio says the Russians have found many atrocities committed in the localities recaptured. Many civilians have been s P°t>. women violated and other civilians compelled to build fortifica-

+ *,;f ie £ c ® fi S htL ?g continues also on the Briansk front, south-west of Moscow. The Russians have captured another height and inflicted heavy lnd S€ infamry nemy motorised f °rces