GERMANS HELD AT ALL POINTS

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 25, 24 October 1942, Page 7

GERMANS HELD AT ALL POINTS

Rushing Up Reserves To Stalingrad PROBLEM OF SHELTER (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) LONDON, October 23. i The defenders of Stalingrad are still holding the Germans at all points. Fierce tank and infantry attacks were made last night with heavy losses. To the north-west the Russian relief army, which is in full sight of the city, has captured another important height. * There are no signs that the Germans are giving up yet. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent reports today that reserves are being rushed to Stalingrad from nearly 200 miles away. The.weather continues to set a problem for the Germans along the southern Russian front. In addition to the quagmired streets slowing up his attacks on Stalingrad, the enemy is hard put to find shelter for troops, because there are no large inhabited localities near the city for billets. The cold, driving rain continues in Stalingrad, with some snow in the steppelandt

The Moscow correspondent of 'The Times” says that Stalingrad’s situation is still critical, but it is now clear that the latest German offensive lias lost its original momentum and lost the chance of developing tiie initial success while ' the Russians were off balance. The Russian guns have been more . than a match for the German tanks approaching the disputed factory from the north-west. Stalingrad field radio reported last night that the Russians today heat hack seven German attacks in the north-west sector of the city, and the enemy was finally forced to withdraw. The German High Command, describing a Russian break-through north-west of Stalingrad, said the Russians by concentrating forces bn a narrow front succeeded in penetrating the German forward positions. The High Command claimed that the line lias been recaptured. Fresh Russian Troops. LONDON, October 22. It can be said with confidence, says n Moscow message, that the now and tremendous German assault which was started against- Stalingrad on October 14, and was designed to cut through the Soviet positions and reach the Volga, has failed. Considerable territorial gains were made iby the Germans in the early stages, but after the first two days the spearhead was blunted, and in the last three days the Germans made no new progress. Berlin radio reported that strong reinforcements have' joined Stalingrad’s defenders. They crossed the Volga in spite of ceaseless German artillery, fire and air attacks. The arrival of these reinforcements supports suggestions' that the latest all-out German attack on the city is petering out. “The Times” Moscow correspondent says; “While it has been suggested that the enemy’s efforts at 'Stalingrad! are weakening, nevertheless his gains last week were highly significant tactically, and it can be assumed that violent fighting will continue, perhaps on comparatively narrow sectors till a decision is reached.” i.The battle to. the north-west of Stalingrad (says British Official Wireless) is broken up into countless skirmishes for heights and vantage points, The Germans have thoroughly fortified their positions, and are using heights to command the approaches to villages and crossroads. The rain has not damped the fury of the fighting, but is interfering with mechanized warfare, as the surface of the roads has been washed away, Stockholm reports that the renewed Russian attacks are occupying the chief interest in Berlin, where the might of the men and machines striving.to roll up the German line is stressed. Hand-to-Hand Fighting. Tonight’s official Soviet reports say: “Enemy tank and. infantry attacks in ■the Stalingrad area have been repelled. In one factory area engagements frequently developed into hand-to-hand fighting, and in the course of these 13 German tanks were destroyed and an infantry -battalion was annihilated. "North-west of Stalingrad our troops, by daring attacks, penetrated enemy positions, and after stubborn fighting occupied two lines of trenches. The enemy left more than 200 dead, and we captured booty. In another sector of the same front fighting continued in the area of one height. The enemy made several unsuccessful coun-ter-attacks in an attempt to retake the positions he had lost -two days ago.”

RED ARMY STRENGTH

Growing Compared With Reichswehr LONDON, October 22. Broadcasting today to Soviet youth, President Kalinin said that in a general way the • (Russian Army was stronger than the German. The Russian losses were not inconsiderable, but the German losses were considerably greater. He .paid, a tribute to the defenders of Stalingrad and also praised the engineers and technicians. The Red Army, he said, was now better equipped than ever before. Guns were being produced at such a rate that the Russians had not only made good their losses but had built up a reserve.