STALINGRAD ARMY REINFORCED

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 292, 8 September 1942, Page 5

STALINGRAD ARMY REINFORCED

Tough Counter-Blows ENEMY STRESSES HARD NATURE OF TASK (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Received Sept. 7, 9.15 p.m.) LONDON, September 6. The only new German progress against Stalingrad is the capture of a small railway station south-west of the city after a terrific effort. The German High Command tonight states that strong Russian reserves have reached the Stalingrad front, and says that the Russians threw in 1 0 rifle divisions and seven tank brigades. All the Soviet counter-attacks were conducted with extreme bitterness, but were repulsed.

The German propaganda machine continues to give warnings against expectations of a “cheap success.’’

Rome radio broadcast an Italian war correspondent’s impressions of the defences of Stalingrad, saying, “A mushroom growth of minefields rings the city, and this growth of pillboxes, artillery positions, and barbed wire is several miles deep. There is also a network of anti-tank obstacles, including huge steel staples driven into the ground and great anti-tank ratchetwheels. There are camouflaged underground strongpoints reinforced with steel and concrete and armed with heavy machineguns and quick-firing anti-tank guns. Armoured cupolas shield the permanent forts.” Unprecedented Intensity,

The Moscow correspondent of “The Times” says: "The Wehrmacht is maintaining the utmost pressure against Stalingrad, but the stout-hearted defenders have been holding the lines since Friday; Almost 40 divisions menace ruined Stalingrad, which is a city with poor natural defences. A vidlent battle has been raging south-west of the city since dawn on Friday and the gunfire has reached unprecedented intensity.” The Moscow "Izvestia” says th? Germans launched seven attacks with more than 100 tanks in one sector during 24 hours, and all were repulsed. Prisoners ■were unanimous about the heaviness of the enemy’s losses. The Red Air Force successfully attacked motor transport columns and petrol tankers along the enemy’s long communication lines, and the German infantry suffered appalling losses under the Russian shellfire and mortars. The massive enemy wedge into Stalingrad’s north-western defences has not been substantially widened in the past 48 hours, the newspaper adds. Early dispatches from Stalingrad said that virtually all citizens, including women and children, are now participating in the defence. Nothing remains within the bare walls of the great tractor factories, and the city itself is in ruins. Gains by Russians. -

The Russians west of Stalingrad have improved their positions in one sector and ligve recaptured fortified points. Three German tank attacks yesterday south-west of'Stalingrad were the biggest yet experienced. Each attack had a twohour preparation of concentrated bombing. The Russians held on, and none of the attacks succeeded. Vichy radio stated that both panzers and infantry are using flame-throwers in the Stalingrad battle. Another feature of the attack is the employment of armoured grenadiers, consisting of shock troops in specially-built armoured cars, each capable of carrying a considerable number of troops. They are brought in to force natural obstacles and establish bridgeheads. A Soviet communique states: ‘.On Sunday our troops were engaged in fierce fighting north-west and south-west of Stalingrad, and also in the regions of Novorossisk and Mosdok. There were no important changes elsewhere.’’ A supplementary communique adds that the Russians recaptaured several positions north-west of Stalingrad, while to the south-west large enemy tank forces and motorized infantry attacked without cessation. Here the fighting; has become more and more ferocious, with. the Russians firmly holding their positions.