GROUND RETAKEN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20915, 15 October 1942, Page 5

GROUND RETAKEN

FORCES STALINGRAD BATTLE STRUGGLE IN CAUCASUS (By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright.) (3 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 13. Russian troops in Stalingrad regained the position lost the previous day, says to-night’s Moscow communique. On other sectors of the city front there were artillery and mortar duels. In'the Mosdok region an attack by two enemy infantry battalions, supported by tanks and planes, was repulsed. South-east of Novorossisk, Soviet marines repelled an attack, improved their positions, and destroyed two Rumanian companies. On one sector of the northwestern front, an enemy attack was beaten off with fairly heavy losses* The Associated Press’ correspondent in Moscow describes the fighting north-west of Stalingrad as trench warfare, with encircling movements by smaller mobile units. The Russians’ latest advance in this sector was made after intensive artillery preparation. The Russians then drove a wedge through a gap between two hills. They turned the German holding trooos frorri their defensive positiofts and consolidated oh the heights. The struggle which began 1 a fort-, flight ago is still raging foiythe main mountain pass from the Kuban to ‘Tuapse, says Reuter’s correspondent un Moscow. A 13-hour tank battle ensued after the Germans had made a night attack under a smoke-screen! The Russians turned back this thrust but' the'Germans are still attacking.The Vichy radio claims that the 1 Russians lost from 5000 to 10.000 men' ion the road'to Tuapse and-that a further 4000 were taken prisoners. German Terror Kinds. ! Heavy fighting is reported' in the Sinyavino area, where the-'Russians beat back an infantry regiment arid ;30 tanks, killed' 600 of the enemy and [destroyed 13 tanks. The Russians in another sector also repelled German infantry supported “by-tanks and l destroyed 400 troops and* nine tanks.; Reports from Stalingrad mention ,an intensification of German terror ‘raids. Lengths of railway tracks riddled with small holes are bein'.',' dropped from 5000 ft., producing prolonged ear-splitting howls. The Luftwaffe also is using screech whistles and screaming': bombs. 7 Thej Izveptia says that Italian tanks recently were in action ! at Stalingrad The Russians found that their armour was easily pierced. ! . J; • j 7. The Pravda reports - that the'great tractor /Works at Stalingrad are-still in production. Most of the equipment of the works was Transferred east of the Volga, but sufficient Was retaifted td-produce some tanks and effect major tank repairs. The Times’ Moscow correspondent says it is repealed that the defence of the north Russian coast, including Murmansk, Archangel, and the Rybddh peninsula, and also the north submarine fleet is under the 3G-year-,old Cossack. Vice-Admiral Golovko.