MORE HEADWAY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20877, 1 September 1942, Page 5

MORE HEADWAY

SOVIET ATTACKS CENTRE AND SOUTH TERRIFIC AIR BATTLES (By Telegraph—Preaa Assn.—Copy right.) (3 p.m.) LONDON. Aug. 30. * The Russians continue to make headway on the central front. They have had some local successes in the Caucasus and before StalingJad. The Germans are doing their utmost to retain the water barriers in the Rjev area, rushing up tank and infantry reserves. Terrific air battles developed. The Russian night communique states that to-day no important changes occurred on the front. During the week ended yesterday, a total of 498 German planes were destroyed. ' The Russians lost 20G.

A supplementary communique reports that fighting for river crossings on the central front continues. Last evening, Russian troops crossed the river. and continued to fight on the western brnk. Fierce fighting northwest of Stalingrad is also described, large tank and infantry forces participating, but all enemy attacks were repelled. The Pr'avda says that the Germans are fighting tooth and nail for every position in the Rjev area. Fierce battles are raging west of Substov. where the Russians occupied several new places. The Russians in the northern and north-eastern outskirts of Rjev dislodged the Germans from rfiore pill-boxes and are battling on for ■ every • house. Fighting is proceeding in. the western approaches to Rjev fn open Country, where the Germans have dug themselves in, but the Russians are continuing their methodical progress. . In one mass raid on the central sector of .the front, Russian planes destroyed 50 out of 80 German bombers on the ground, states a Mosc6w message. Several other aerodromes were raided as assistance to the ground forces who are slowly battering their way through the ruins of Rjev. Reds Break Across Volga The Russian positions in that area have been improved. The Red Army broke across the Volga west of the city and through debris fortified with barbed wire and anti-infantry and anti-tank fortifications. The crossing was made on cable ferries under a hail of enemy shells and bullets and attacks by dive-bombers. Very fierce fighting is raging near the former military barracks where each building has been converted by the Germans into a stronghold. The enemy is constantly rushing uo new forces of tanks and infantry, but the Russians continue .to advance on several sectors of this front. The Red Star says that the Russians north-westward of Stalingrad captured an important unnamed town. Red army troops, after n fierce battle, drove the Germans from heights governing vital roads at the rear of the town. Other units, after frontal and flank assaults, pushed the Germans into the streets, where the battle was carried on until- the enemy remnants were wiped out. A German communique states that infantry and motorised units.. with strong air support, broke through strongly .'fortified positions in , the Stalingrad area and penetrated deeply into the Russian defence system. Moscow , this afternoon reported that, despite fierce German resistance, the Russians had recaptured :Jour settlements in the ProkhladnayaMosdok area of the Caucasus. Numerous German attacks were repulsed in other sectors of the fronts. Russian coastal defences on Saturday smashed a German landing attempt on the Black Sea coast, sinking 10 transports with shells. Not a single vessel was able to anchor near the shore. The attempt was launched from the Kerch Peninsula.