FEAT UNIQUE IN HISTORY

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 106, 29 January 1943, Page 5

FEAT UNIQUE IN HISTORY

Stalingrad Coup FATE OF QUARTER OF MILLION LONDON, January 27. Last night’s communique, announcing that the encircled enemy army had been reduced to 12,000 stated that the history of warfare had never known another example of the encirclement and annihilation of such a large number of fully equipped regular troops. A similar opinion is expressed in London, where it is considered that the German Sixth Army was sacrificed partly for prestige and partly as a result of a miscalculation. Summing up this brilliant Russian victory, the “News Chronicle” •correspondent in Moscow says that the enemy has suffered a defeat such as be was never able to inflict on the Russian armies when at the height of his strength in 19-11. Hitler has lost the crack and toughened army of nearly a quarter of a million men, whe occupied the approaches to and much of the city of Stalingrad. Historic Vengeance. The Moscow correspondent of “The Tinies” says that front-line reports dwell on the catastrophic German losses in men, equipment, and prestige by the utter collapse before Stalingrad. The enemy s material losses are estimated to be heavier than those of the British in the evacuation from Dunkirk, Greece and Norway combined. Maps published indicate how extensive was the German hold on the city and bow narrow the position which the Russians held for so long. Yet, in spite of the precariousness of the situation, the Soviet army’s headquarters were never moved to the east bank of the Volga.

Thousands of battle-hardened Soviet troops are preparing today to move from Stalingrad to other fronts, reports Reuter’s Moscow correspondent.

Crack infantry divisions, tanks, and air squadrons will be flung into action on various fronts from Voronezh to south of Rostov, where the Red Army is steadily advancing. The victory at Stalingrad not only releases an important group of armies, but unties the chief rail knot between the Urals and the Black Sea.. Trains may be expected to run within a few days direct from the Russian capital and from the main sources of supply to within a few miles of the active fronts.