GREAT STRUGGLE ON TEREK

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 15, 13 October 1942, Page 5

GREAT STRUGGLE ON TEREK

Nazis Admit Losses (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Received October 12, 8.10 p.m,)

LONDON, October 11.

Berlin radio today broadcast a front-line reporter's story of the fighting in the Mosdok area, the latest events in which occurred last week. ‘•The battle had been raging for weeks near the cursed Terek River, which has swallowed so much of our comrades' blood,” he said. “The Soviet is using every device of fortification. “A German infantry division forced the Terek River early in September and formed a bridgehead with a radius of two miles. The Russians attacked the bridgehead trenches and mine-, fields with heavy artillery, and prevented us from advancing. We formed a second bridgehead, but all attempts to unite the bridgeheads failed. “Finally, we formed a third bridgehead. A village lay before us, and it became a hell.. The Russian gunners poured a hail of shells into the village, but we bad to get through at any cost, and we succeeded in reaching bloodsoaked Hill 404. Our general suddenly appeared and ordered us back. The Russians had attacked our flank. “We raced back, abnndoed two localities. It was one of those terrible Soviet flank attacks. Numberless tanks and infantry forced us back yard by yard. The battle lasted for 14 hours, and the countryside for miles was on fire. More Tense Now. “More than 50 of the Soviet tanks were left on the battlefield, but we lost many a comrade, and many German tanks which had advanced hundreds of miles met their fate here. We formed a defensive front the next day and regained two hills.” The reporter said that the Germans subsequently seized a railway bridge across the Terek. “Surrounded by dust and smoke, tortured by thirst, without food or drink all day, we fought with only one thought—to cross the cursed Terek,” he said. The German pressure in the Mosdok region has certainly not relaxed, it is learned in London, and both here and in the Black Sea coastal belt the Russians are being called on every day for new efforts in vigilance, courage, and tenacity. Their aggressive operations in the western Caucasus remain an inspiration. The situation, is growing increasingly tense in the eastern Caucasus, where the Germans are throwing in further reinforcements. Their resistance remains firm, and some ground has been regained in the main sectors. The Germans in the Mosdok urea have attacked 19 times within 48 hours, hut all the attacks were repulsed and 700 Germans killed. .Soviet Guards have been counter-attacking in another area, where the Germans have lost 3500 men in the past few days. A German communique states that alpine troops in the north-western Caucasus dislodged the Russians from further hill positions, and a Russian force Which was encircled has been impressed in a very narrow area and its destruction is imminent. The Luftwaffe continued to make strong night attacks on Grozny, causing heavy destruction. Berlin radio declared that the Germans seized an important ridge, after which they took in the renr a strong Soviet force which was stationed south of the road to Tuapse. The Soviet force was encircled. It resisted strongly, but more than half were annihilated. Mountains Blocked? Moscow officially announces: “Seventyfive German bombers, escorted by lighters. attempted to raid .Soviet military objectives’ in the Mosdok area, and 26 enemy planes were destroyed. Russian troops surrounded an enemy garrison in one locality in the rear of Novorossisk.” The opinion in London regarding the fighting it) the Caucasus (says British Ollicial Wireless), is that it is now probaldy too late for the Germans to get across the Caucasus range by the two available roads before the winter sets in. Military experts point out that the snowfall which has already occurred in the higher passes must necessitate the withdrawal of the units which climbed to the higher levels. If the Germans are to reach Baku and Baturn they will have to make their way along the coast.

VILE NAZI TACTIC (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, October 11. The unbelievably inhuman practice of driving women and children in front of their attacking troops was employed yesterday by the Germans —and not for the first 'time—in their- endeavour to gain headway on the Stalingrad _ front. A Soviet communique which discloses this adds that a Russian unit was quickly rushed to the German flank, attacked, and inflicted heavy casualties on the Germans, and freed the women and children.