STALINGRAD BATTLE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 15 October 1942, Page 2

STALINGRAD BATTLE

FIERCE STREET FIGHTING ENEMY PREPARING TO IHG IN WINTER LINE MAY BE ESTABLISHED (Rec. 1.50 p.m.) London, Oct. 14. Biff gains of both sides are pounding at each other across the wastes of Stalingrad where tank and infantry lighting has been on a small scale in the last 24 hours. In the north western suburbs, however, fierce street fighting is proceeding. The Russians are consolidating 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 they will establish a winter line from outside Stalingrad south along the Yergcnt hills 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 clefe ns iv e ch a rac ter. Berlin says the Russians are planning to free Stalingrad by an encircling movement from the south. Moscow to-day reports that Russians south of the city captured a German strongpoint and are holding it against all counter-attacks. The Russians advanced on one sector south of Mosdok and beat off attacks in other Axis reports again mention Russian offensive concentrations in the Rjev 4)hd Smolensk areas. GERMAN CLAIMS 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 from Stalingrad and also the Don front.” Moscow reports the German use of a new type of Melo9G equipped for can-non-firing. The Russians say this new plane is faster, better armoured and flies at a greater altitude, but is less manoeuvrable and can be shot down, as proved at Stalingrad. The second new type of plane is the Henschell 129. The Tass agency, quoting reports from Geneva, “says that Marshal von Bock has been arrested. Several German generals and heads of motorised and infantry corps have been dismissed and others reduced in rank P.A.