IN RJEV STREETS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 203, 28 August 1942, Page 3

IN RJEV STREETS

NAZI RESISTANCE

Terrific Tank Battle Rages For Stalingrad U.P.A. and British Wireless Rec. 1 p.m. LONDON, August 27. The latest Moscow dispatches speak of street fighting on the outskirts of Rjev, north-west of Moscow, where the Germans are reported to be resisting fiercely and are desperately trying to cling to this important rail and road centre. Last winter the Red Army half encircled Rjev, but the Germans, determined to hold the town at any cost, reinforced the six divisions operating in that area by three in July and another five jn August. They have also continued to strengthen the fortifications of adjacent towns.

Rjev is nearly 700 miles from Stalingrad, and even if the Germans wished to transfer to the central front some of their strength from the Stalingrad and Caucasian fronts it is doubtful if the communications are sufficiently gcod to make such an operation quickly feasible. Thus the Russian offensive in the centre is not. regarded in informed circles in London as likely to have any immediate effect on the situation around Stalingrad, which remains axtremely serious. Success Thrills Moscow The news of the Viazma-Rjev offensive has thrilled Moscow. The Germans have strongly fortified this district. Their ferroconcrete dugouts are feats of engineering. They have orders to stop the Russians at all costs, and are clinging to every 'ich of ground, but Russian artillery •ounding their fortifications and are destroying their dugouts, 'l. iss'an troops move forward yard by yard, occupying treryh after trench. Each trench holeis dozens of German dead, machineguns and rifles. The Germans are reluctant to leave their blockhouses and scores are buried beneath the debris of them. Dozens of prisoners, exhausted and dishevelled, are being sent to the Russian rear. Rjev, Gjatsk and Viazma-—all strongly defended "hedgehogs' to which the Germans clung when the Russian winter offensive was forced to the west —comprise a formidable triangle of great strategic importance covering Smolensk, which is the piyot of the German front in Russia. The offensive is interpreted as part of the Russian general strategy of attrition, but it is likely to prevent the Germans from over-running the Volga city's defences with reinforcements drawn from the northern fronts.

[By special arrangement, neuter's World Service, in addition to other spccinl sources of information, is used in the coir illntic the overseas intelligence published in I'-' .jsue. and all right* therein In Australia and i - x Zealand are reserved. Such of the cable news on this page as Is so headed has appeared In The Times, and Is sent to this paper by special permission. It should be understood that the opinions are not those of The Times unleu stated, to be so.J