SOVIET GAINS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20916, 16 October 1942, Page 3

SOVIET GAINS

STALINGRAD FIGHT AXIS PUSH FAILS RUSSIANS REINFORCED FIGHTING LESS SEVERE (By Telegraph—Press Assn,—Copyright.) (11.30 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 15. Though a majority of the latest Russian reports indicate that the fighting on the Russian front is on -a reduced scale compared with recent weeks, a Moscow message reports that considerable enemy tank and infantry forces were hurled into a narrow sector north-west of Stalingrad yesterday. They were repelled after heavy fighting. The enemy, in these unsuccessful attempts to capture factories—which are reported to be still functioning and repairing tanks —lost 23 tanks and up to 2000 men. Russian reinforcements reaching Stalingrad across the Volga include at least one Soviet Guards division. After a further advance north-west of Stalingrad, the troops of Marshal Timoshenko’s relief army are now within sight of the city. The Russians also made new gains south of Stalingrad and recaptured five large buildings and a school within the city. The Times’ Moscow correspondent says that the Germans are still exerting pressure against the north-western outskirts, where short sharp battles with thrust and counter-thrust are taking place along the battered streets. Fierce hand-to-hand struggles are occurring in factories and other buildings.' The Germans launched tank attacks, supported by planes, in the open country fringing the city, but these attacks were repelled. Russians Capture Heights

The Moscow radio declared that the Russians north-west of Stalingrad had captured several heights from which the Germans were shelling the roads, whereupon the Russians, bringing up supplies of Russian infantry and Tommy-gunners, broke the German line after several hours fighting, fanned out, and liquidated the German resistance point by point. Operations in the Caucasus are characterised by a marked increase in German air activity and the beating to a standstill of their ground forces. The Luftwaffe is attacking strongly in the Novorossisk and Mosdok areas. Large bomber formations are attacking installations behind the Mosdok front. Twenty-six of 70 bombers in one formation are reported to have been destroyed. Fighting in the Mosdok area is concentrated in two localities. In one, the Red Army yesterday improved its positions, forcing a second enemy retreat in two days. In the other locality, the Germans are on the offensive and threw 60 tanks into the battle and succeeded in driving a wedge into the Soviet lines. The Russians south-east of Novorossisk yesterday carried out offensive action, encountering fierce enemy resistance.

The Russians maintain silence regarding the Germans’ claims of pro-, gress on the Tuapse road. The Paris radio stated that the Germans had reached the Black Sea coast and were now only 12 miles from Tuapse. The Daily Telegraph’s correspondent in Stockholm says that according to the most reliable authority Herr Hitler has dismissed General Haider, who has been replaced by General Jodi.