GERMANS DIGGING IN

Marlborough Express, Volume LXXVI, Issue 243, 15 October 1942, Page 2

GERMANS DIGGING IN

WINTER LINE IN THE S0UTH STALINGRAD TO TEREK RlVER, RUSSIANS STILL ATTACKING.

P.A. Cable.

LONDON, Oct, 14.

The big guns of both sides are pounding at each other across the wastes of Stalingrad, where tank and infantry fighting has been on a small scale in the last 24 hours. Iri the north-western suburbs, however, fierce street fighting is proceeding. The Russians are consolidating the positions which they recaptured from the Germans yesterday. There are clear signs that the Germans on the Stalingrad front are preparing to dig in for the winter. It is believed that they will estaBlish a winter line from outside Stalingrad soutlr along the Yergeni Hiils, linking up with the Axis forces on the Terek River. German official reports now either admit or imply that German operations in the Stalingrad area have assumed a defensive character. Eerlin says that the Russians are planning to free Stalingrad by an encircling movement from the south. Moscow to-day reports that the Russians south of the city captured a German strongpoint and are holding it against all counter-attacks. The Russians advanced on one sector soutlr of Mosdok and beat off attacks in other Mosdok sectors. Axis reports again mention Russian offensive concentrations in the Rjev and Smolensk areas. A German communique states: "The German army, supported by the Luftwaffe, captured more dominating chains of heights and mountain positions on the highway from Maikop to Tuapse. We repulsed several Russian counter-attacks and thrusts f'rom Stalingrad, also on the Don front."

Moscow reports the German use oi a new type of Messerschmitt 109G, equipped with cannon that fire shells fitted with time fuses enabling them to use a range of 200 to 300 yards, and frequently 500, compared with the 100 to 200 yards of other fighters. The Russians say this new plane is faster and better armourecl and flies at a greater altitude, but is less manoeuvrable and can be shot down, as has been proved at Stalingrad. A second new type of plane is the Henschel 129. The Tass Agency, quoting reports from Geneva, says that von Bock has been arrested. Several German generals, heads of motorised and infantry corps, have been dismissed, and others reduced in rank. V