CITY IN RUINS

Evening Star, Issue 24293, 7 September 1942, Page 3

CITY IN RUINS

GREAT FACTORIES DESTROYED ENEMY PRESSURE CONTINUES ON ALL SECTORS (Bee. 11.40 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 6. The Russians are inflicting enormous losses on Stalingrad’s attackers, but have not affected the pressure which the Germans art maintaining on all sectors. Tho Germans are still bringing up fresh reserves, punching for weak spots and doing, their utmost to widen the wddges. The southwestern approaches are—still the scene of the fiercest fighting. The Situation here is becoming increasingly grave. Despatches from Stalingrad say virtually every citizen, including .'men and children, is now armed and .s participating in the defence. Of :ha great industries nothing remains ivithia the bare walls of the great tractor factories. Tho city itself is in i-jins. Traffic continues on the Volga despite constant bombing. No permanent German gains have been reported, duing the last 48 hours. The Russians west of _ Stalingradhavo > actually improved their positions, and in one sector have recaptured fortified points, hut the German attack continues in wave after wave. The German tank attacks southwest of Stalingrad yesterday were tho biggest yet experienced. Powerful panzer units simultaneously assaulted the three most important sectors. Each attack had a two-hour preparation of concentrated bombing. The Russians held on and no attack succeeded. A German communique says bitter fighting is continuing in the Stalingrad area. Very strong Russian diversionary attacks in the northern sector of this area failed. The Taman Peninsula is in German hands; The Germans are approaching closer to Novorossisk.

THREAT TO HOVOROSSISK GERMANS NEARING NAVAL PORT LONDON, September 5. Russian rearguards are fighting bitter delaying actions north-west of Novorossisk. The Black Sea fleet is ipouriug in fire on the Axis forces, helping the outnumbered Russian marines. Warships shelled two German infantry regiments, killing 1,500 and wrecking four tanks. Warships also acted, as long-range artillery when the Russians retook a village half a mile from the sea. Four hundred of the enemy were killed in house-to-house fighting. Planes of the Black Sea fleet air arm are combating German attempts to land forces from the sea. . Storraoviks routed one force, destroying four motor-driven barges and two cutters. The position north-west of Novorossisk is becoming increasingly serious, and the Germans are probably within 12 or 15 miles of the naval base.

, Details of the fighting in the Mosdok area of the Caucasus reveal that the Germans got a substantial force across the Terek ißiver. They fanned out and captured three inhabited places. The Russians counter-attacked on both flanks and recaptured one point and encircled another, killing many troops, destroying pontoons, and hindering reinforcement. The Russians apparently have the situation in hand at Prohladnay«. The Germans are attempting a (ifive on Vladikavakaz. A big Russian flanking movement threatened to encircle a large Rumanian force and compelled it to withdraw from an important height. The Moscow radio says that Russian planes last night, in difficult weather, started 33 fires in Budapest and 24_in Koenigsberg. Thirty raiders participated in tho Budapest attack, and 17 heavy bombs fell in the centre of the city. A blackout has been ordered throughout Hungary. Tho A.R.P. is being tightened up. One Russian plane was lost. The Russians have taken the offensive on the central front in the Rjev area and have occupied a number of populated places. One Russian unit wiped out 400 Germans. Russian planes on the central front raided aerodromes, destroying or damaging 50 planes.