TITANIC STRUGGLE

Evening Star, Issue 24281, 24 August 1942, Page 3

TITANIC STRUGGLE

DECISIVE HOUR AT HAND BITTEREST OF FIGHTING (Roc. 1.15 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 2a. Reports from Moscow emphasise that the decisive hour is near in the battle for Stalingrad, on the approaches to which a titanic struggle is being waged, with the Russians giving, ground in some places under the tremendous German pressure. South-east of Kletskaya the enemy has apparently reached the western bank of the Don in strength along a considerable stretch of the river, but in the area,of Kletskaya itself the Russians have countex'-iittackul with success.

Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says bitter fighting is proceeding on one sector north-east of Kotelnikovo, where, after a series or persistent attacks, the Germans, with tanks and motorised infantry, broke through into the depth or the Russian defences. The struggle has been raging since midday or August 22, with the Germans attacking from both flanks and trying to get reinforcements through.

The German detachments of tommy gunners and infantry which succeeded in crossing to the cast bank opposite Stalingrad are reported to he pinned on the bank since the evening ot August 22 by intense Russian shelling and bombing. ' The German High Command announced that German troops have taken up the offensive south-westward of Kaluga, where the Germans succeeded in driving a large wedge into the strongly-fortified Russian positions. Russian counter-attacks on a broad front were repelled. The German communique says that Russian thrusts on the Rjev, Lake Ilmen, and Leningrad areas were reptilsed. '