STALINGRAD WEDGE

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 28, 28 October 1942, Page 5

STALINGRAD WEDGE

Counter-Attack At Red

October Factory

(By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.)

(Received October 27, 8.50 p.m.) LONDON, October 26. The situation inside Stalingrad is very difficult following the latest German advance in the industrial area bordering the Volga. The German High Command stated that the Germans yesterday penetrated further into the northern suburbs, and captured numerous nests of resistance in passages and cellars of the Red October works. German Stukas dropped thousands of bombs on enemy positions on an island on the Volga, opposite the Red October works. The German news agency later said that MajorGeneral Rodimstev launched a relief assault from north and south of the Red October works, using units of the 300th Soviet Infantry Division, and the fighting was still going on.

The drying wind apparently has hardened the ground at Stalingrad sufficiently to enable the Germans to make an extra spurt (says an earlier message), though the Russians regained sufficient ground to compensate for the loss of the two streets, which the Germans overran yesterday. MajorGeneral Rodimstev’s men entrenched in the Red October factory are fighting a decisive battle.

Reports from Moscow say that there is fighting on the fringes of the factory. The Moscow correspondent of “The Times” says that the German commanders in Stalingrad now apparently intend to hammer away on a limited front, while keeping the main force to ward off the Russian relief attacks..

The Berlin spokesmen have again changed their tone from pessimism to optimism; they forecast the imminent fall of Stalingrad. One spokesman today told neutral correspondents that German artillery for the first time has taken up positions on the Volga in the northern part of the city, rendering the transport of Russian reinforcements across the river very difficult. Wedge Fails. Vichy radio declared that the Russians are holding only in one district, and added that 4he situation, of the defenders is critical. The radio said that though the German guns are bombarding reinforcements and supplies crossing the river, the transportation of Russian troops and food continues. Tonight’s Soviet communique stated: “In the area of Stalingrad our troops repelled enemy tank and infantry attacks. In the factory area large enemy groups attacked our positions. The fighting lasted for several hours, and the Germans succeeded in driving a wedge into the positions, but our troops attacked from the flank aud compelled the enemy to retreat. In this battle 750 Axis troops were killed and three tanks put out of action, and nine mortars and seven machineguns destroyed. “North-east of Stalingrad one Soviet unit wiped out three infantry companies, and nine German planes were destroyed.”

Later Attacks Held. / LONDON, October 27

Today’s Moscow communique states that at Stalingrad the lighting is still stubborn. In the northern area the Germans kept up their attacks, which were repelled and six enemy tanks were destroyed. At the southern end of the city Russian troops counter-attacked anil destroyed enemy strongpoints.