ROSTOV’S FALL

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 257, 29 July 1942, Page 5

ROSTOV’S FALL

Nazi Approach To Stalingrad COUNTER-ATTACKS ON DON (By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright.) LONDON, July 28. Following upon the capture of Rostov, which was announced from. Moscow last night, the Germans are attempting to cross the river in force and drive down into the. north-eastern Caucasus. Simultaneously they are attacking along the 300-mile front between Rostov and the Don bend. The latest Soviet communique refers only to continued fighting last night in the Zymlyanskaya sector, which is at the centre of this river front, and which appears to be at the moment the most vital

sector. To the east the Germans are making an all-out effort to capture Stalingrad, and Berlin claims the capture of Kalach, which is on the Don, only 35 miles west of Stalingrad. The Russians are still making progress in the Voronezh area, in what a correspondent describes as a ‘ hard, ding-dong battle with high casualties and small results.”

The “Daily Telegraph’s” Moscow correspon'dent says that the German Command, every day is throwing in more reserves at all essential points, aiming at widening and deepening the wedges which are toeing driven toward Stalingrad and Baku, the great oil centre. “Never before has the enemy better shown his superlative quality hi his swift mass concentration, and also in wealth of efficient motor transport. But we must not belittle Marshal Timoshenko's strategy. He cannot yet risk engaging forces as heavy as von Bock’s.” “I’rav'da’s” front-line reporter at Kostov yesterday said: “Enemy planes, tanks, artillery and everything were again thrown in today, and in a ferocious battle, our artillery fired on the tanks over open sights, knocking out scores. We threw back three attacks in one area, but the enemy brought up more tanks and fresh infantry and broke deeply into our defences.” The “Daily Telegraph’s” Stockholm correspondent reports that a tremendous panzer battle is raging round Kalach, on the Don bend, and due west of Stalingrad. Itussian tanks and also infantry, in powerful field fortifications, are offering-desperate resistance to and German armoured forces, which are attacking in wave after wave in superior numbers and with seemingly inexhaustible reserves. Russian Counter-Attacks. Marshal Timoshenko is launching counter-attack after counter-attaek against Field-Marshal von Bock’s menacing bridgeheads in the Zymlyanskaya area, and the Germans have been thrown back into the Don at several points, and at others cut off, but elsewhere the Russians admit that they have been forced to give ground. Moscow yesterday described the situation' as very grave. The “Daily Mail’s” Stockholm correspondent yesterday said that two German armoured columns which forced the Don at Zymlyanskaya, joined up. but the Russians isolated them from the river and were launching attacks from all sides in an attempt to wipe them out. Another dispatch said that the enemy’s pressure was growing every hour, but each fresh attempt to force a crossing had been savagely smashed by the Red Air Force, which was now in considerable strength in the Zymlyanskaya area. Modern Stormoviks were blasting the Geripan concentrations; these are dive-fighters fitted with big cannon and strongly armoured forward so that they can come right down and rake tanks, batteries, transports, and troops. The Germans temporarily made a new crossing, but they were thrown into confusion by a Stormovik blitz and then were pushed into the river by bayonets, grenades, and tommy-guns. According to Berlin radio, the whole of the Don delta is now under German control. A German communique states: “After two days’ fighting the Germans captured by storm the strongly-fortr fled railway junction and town of Bataisk, 10 miles south of Rostov. Farther to the east our mobile forces pushed far to the south. German and Rumanian infantry in the great Don bend, co-operating with our tanks and aircraft, repulsed the enemy and reached the river'along a wide front.” Vichy radio, quoting a Stockholm report yesterday, said that Yon Bock'

. had established four bridgeheads on ’ the south bank of the lower Don, two east and west of Rostov, and the other two between Rostov and Zymlyan- ’ skaya. ' Battle of Voronezh. L The Moscow correspondent of “The Tinies” yesterday said that the Germans had been unable to stem the steady Russian advance near Voronezh. The strength'-of the Russian forces on the west bank of the Don was growing, and the Russians made a new crossing on Sunday, widening the front. A strong German group is still within the city perimeter, apparently determined to hold on, and the position will be unsatisfactory till the Germans are dislodged from the city and also from the triangle between the Don and Voronezh Rivers. Fierce fighting continues on the adjacent Bryansk front, north-west of Voronezh, where the Russians have captured a height and inflicted heavy losses on enemy motorized infantry. The “Soviet War News,” London, states that the Red Air Force destroyed or damaged more than 1800 German tanks between June 27 and July 24. Two hundred and twenty-eight German tanks were destroyed in one sector of the Voronezh front. The Russian communique issued at midnight last night, stated: “On July 27 Soviet troops fought in the regions of Voronezh and Zymlyanskaya. After stubborn fighting Soviet troops left the towns of Novo Cherkassk and Rostov. There were no important changes elsewhere. Soviet warships in the Barents Sea sank an enemy U-boat and a 10.000-ton transport.”

RUSSIAN BATTLE FOR FOOD LONDON, July 27. A great battle on the Soviet home front has begun to obtain enough food for the Red Army and the Russian people in the coming winter, says Reuter’s correspondent in Moscow. The loss of the three great graingrowing areas—the Ukraine, White Russia, and the Don Steppes—means that the remaining areas must feed the Russian population and the 10,000,000 to 20,000,000 refugees from the occupied districts. More than 2,000,000 tons of grain have been set aside for the Russian Army, and this would be enough to supply it for a year, but within the next few weeks Russia’s agricultural front will be making one of the greatest struggles in history. Reuter reports that the past month has been a sickening one for every Russian man and woman, with villages and towns, falling into the liands of the Nazis. But neither in the Press nor in conversation is there the slightest indication of any weakening of the Russian will to fight on with every available ounce of strength, ingenuity, and courage. The people are greatly interested in the four Russian raids on Koenigsberg and the R.A.F. raids on Germany from the west. SOVIET BALTIC FLEET (Received July 28, 7 p.m.) LONDON, July 27. Vichy radio stated that the Red Fleet evacuated from Rostov to Velsk, CO miles away iu- the Sea of Azov.