GLACIER FIGHTING

Marlborough Express, Volume LXXV, Issue 254, 28 October 1942, Page 5

GLACIER FIGHTING

LAKE LADOGA ICING OVER PRELUDE TO LENINGRAD STRUGGLE.

P.A. Cable.

LONDON, Oct. 26.

The situavtion inside Stalingrac! is very diificult, following the latest German advance in the industrial area bordering the Volga. The German High Command has stated that the Germans yesterday penetrated further in the northern subnrbs and captured numerous nests of l'esistance in the passages and cellars of the Red October works. Germaiu Stukas dropped thousands of bombs on enemy positions on a Volga island opposite the Red October works. The German News Agemoy later said that General Rodimstev latmched a relief assault from' north and south of the Red October works, using units of the 300th Soviet Infantry. Fighting is still going on. The Red Army continues to control the south bank of the Terek River from which it dominates most of the places on the north bank, although the German High Command to-night claimed that the Germans had crossed the Baksar River westwards of the Terek. Skirmishes are going on in parts of the Caucasus at a height of 12,000 feet on the edge of the glaciers. The Russians do not underestimate the German alpine troops and reialise that vigilance is necessary in the Caucasus througliout the winter. Lake Ladoga, over which Leningrad supplies came last winter, is already icing. Decisive battles are expected to be fought out in the fields and woods around Leningrad as soon as the ground freezes icehard. A Soviet communique ment'tons Stalingrad and north-east Tuapse as the main battle areas. In the northern part of Stalingrad the Russians repulsed enemy attacks, vnping out an infantry hattalion and destroying six tanks. German prisoners report that only 20 to 30 soldiers are left in every company of the 305th Infantry Division, the rest having been killed or wounded. In counter-attacks on the southern outskirts of Stalingrad the Russians wiped out four enemy infantry companies. North-west of Stalingrad the Russians inflicted heavy losses on the enemy. North-east of Tuapse the Russians , repelled enemy attacks. East of Novorossisk the Russians launched attacks and improved their position. A Moscow message says that in j the southern industrial suburbs of j Stalingrad the Red Army pushed back the Germans to the steppe. One Soviet division, after many days' fighting, crippled or destroyed 160 tanks and killed about 7000 Germans and Rumanians. Following these losses the enemy is on the de- , fensive in the southern suburbs. Here the Russian factories, despite shell damage, are working day and night.