STALINGRAD BATTLE

Marlborough Express, Volume LXXVI, Issue 242, 14 October 1942, Page 5

STALINGRAD BATTLE

GERMAN ASSAULTS RESUMED attack still indecisive.

P.A. Cable.

LONDON, Oct. 13.

Official reports from Moscow indicate that the lull in the fighting in the Stalingrad area, which had been noted during the previous 48 hours, was broken yesterday by renewed attacks from German infantry, says British Official Wireless. Only on one sector, however, was any German progress reported. An enemy infantry regiment, supported by 50 tanks, attacked the Russian positions three times. All the attacks were repelled and the enemy succeeded in pushing slightly forward only at one point. Twenty tanks were destroyed and two infantry battalions decimated. On other sectors of the Stalingrad front attacks by small enemy groups were repulsed. The Russians have pushed the Germans back at some points in the Mosdok area. The Russians refused to play Hitler's game at Stalingrad. Instead of gratefully accepting the lull in the German ground attacks and resigning themselves to endure constant shelling and bombing, they hit back in many small sectors, bayonetting Germans from houses and forcing the tired enemy to maintain a most active defence. It is not yet clear whether the Germans used the lull for building up a new striking force before Stalingrad or diverting their shock forces to the Caucasus. Berlin reports mention fighting in snowstorms near the Black Sea coast, which emphasises Hitler's need for speed if he desires to force the passage of the Caucasian Mountains before winter in order to secure a jumping off ground for a Middle East drive in conjunction with a renewed offensive. German reinforcements still coming up to Stalingrad may be defensive groups intended to replace

shock troops diverted elsewhere, but the Russians are not taking chances. They are constantly strengthening their defences and feeding men and materials into the city across the Volga. It is revealed that underground factories throughout the siege have turned out munitions and repaired tanks and vehicles. Berlin radio claims that the Germans are maintaining their advance towards Tuapse along the road from Armaoir. It also claims that the bridgeheads on the Terek River have all been linked up. Artillery and mortar duels continue in the Stalingrad area though the Germans are clearly still using the infantry. Two enemy infantry battalions, according to the morning Russian communique, attacked the Russian positions on the outskirts of a workers' settlement. The attack was repelled and two infantry companies annihilated. North-west of the city the Russians gained some ground and improved their position. In the Mosdok area the Russians forged ahead after stubborn fighting and regained positions lost the previous day. y South-east of Novorossisk stubborn street fighting is proceeding. In one locality the Russians are clearing house after house and pushing forward, inflicting enormous losses on an encircled German garrison. Two Rumanian divisions in the Novorossisk sector were badly mauled, according to a Moscow message. The Russians in the Sinyavino area captured an important height, killed 1200 Germans and repelled counterattacks. SITUATION MORE HOPEFUL. Some London commentators say that the Russian military situation is more hopeful now than at any timo since Germany began the summer offensive. Mr Morley Richards, the Daiiy Express military writer, declares that there is indisputatale evidence that tne German army around Stalingrad is reaching exhaustion, Reduced in numbers the Germans have been fought to a standstill. Von Hoth may try again to capture the city, but> the Red Army is supremely confident. The Daily Telegraphsays : "The lull in German infantry attacks against Stalingrad is the best news we have had for some time The Germans are feeling deeply their losses in front-line troops." The News'Chronicle says that there is no tendency to under-rate the enemy 's remarkable striking power, but at last it really looks as if a large German thrust has been so blunted that it- may never be abie to deliver a fatal blow. Captain Liddell Hart, writing in the Daily Mail, says that their most recent setback may cost the Germans the chance of conquering the Caucasus and establishing themselves

on the Caspian, He suggests that the smallness of the numbers of tanks which the Germans are using in the Caucasus shows that the enemy is increasingly handicapped by wastage of tanks and trained crews, or that che German command has failen back on is oid habit of empioying tanks in driblets instead of in inass drives. Moscow i'adio says that the People' s Commissariat for the Tank Industry announced that more tanks were produced in the first ten days of October than the corresponding perlod of the past month's fighting. The quality of the latest model superheavy Voroshilov tank has considerably increased as the result of the adoption of a. number of suggestions from Red Anny tankmen.