GERMAN PUSH IN CAUCASUS

Southland Times, Issue 24820, 12 August 1942, Page 5

GERMAN PUSH IN CAUCASUS

WITHDRAWAL BY RUSSIANS (Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 11. A further withdrawal by the Russian forces in the Armavir region of the Caucasus foothills has been announced in Moscow and the fighting has reached the oil districts of Maikou and Krasnodar. It is pointed out that the German push to Krasnodar represents an advance of 90 miles in 24 hours, emphasizing the threat of encirclement to the Russians on the Kuban Peninsula. It is noted that the Germans claim to have bombed Russian troop ships in the Black Sea. North-west and south-west of Stalingrad Marshal Semion Timoshenko has launched counter-attacks in an effort to throw back the Gei - mans. The Russians are making a firm stand south-west of the city, where the Germans are endeavour • ing to advance along the railway. At Voronej the Germans have received reinforcements, but the Russians still hold the initiative. The Russians in the Voronej area have gained some ground, but the fighting at present is merely locally important. Operations in the Kotelnikovo region have not relaxed and fighting in the Kletskaya sector yesterday was the most violent yet. The Germans, ignor-

ing losses, repeatedly hurled in reinforced tank units and infantry. The Russians hereabouts are only just hanging on. BATTLES OF RJEV Berlin radio stated that big battles have been raging in the Rjev sector north-west of Moscow since July 30. The Russians day after day are sending over strong infantry and tank forces supported by artillery, but all the attacks were repulsed. Negley Farson, in an article in The Daily Mail, points . out that it is not necessary for Field-Marshal Fedor von Bock to drive his forces across the great Caucasian Mountains. He can cut off the Russians frdfcan absolutely essential source of fuelroil by:— (1) Smashing through the remaining 40 or 50 miles from the Don bend to the Volga at Stalingrad. (2) Striking swiftly to the Caspian Sea across the Caucasian neck. German air bases at Makhackala could command the Caspian, which here is only 170 miles wide and dive-bomb every vessel attempting to carry oil northwards for the Russians. German shore batteries from Stalingrad could sink oil tankers and food barges trying to struggle up the Volga against the strong current on a thin stretch. DRIVE TOWARDS CASPIAN The Russians are still falling back before slashing German blows in the Caucasian foothills between Armavir and the Terek river, which the Germans claim they have reached. It is clear the Germans are determined to exert all pressure to cut off Grozny. They then hope to complete the severance of the Russian armies and air forces from the main oilfield by occupying Makhachkala on the Caspian. The Russians have not yet announced the fall of Krasnodar and Maikop; which was claimed by the Germans at the week-end. Their loss is generally expected. The Germans have now added Pyatigorsk to the list of their Caucasian claims, adding that advanced units of their fast-moving army are already striking eastwards along die Terek river.

New§ is brighter from the Russian front elsewhere, with stiff fighting reported, from Kletskaya, inside the Don elbow and also outside the Don elbow, north-east of Kotelnikovo.

The Stockholm correspondent of The Times reports that the Germans have encountered determined resistance at many points in the Krasnodar and Armavir areas, but the Russians appear to have transferred their heavy armour

to the Volga, maybe in the belief that it is unsuitable for mountain warfare. The present position at the Sea of Azov is not clear. The indications are that the Russians have fallen 'back to the Black Sea, probably to Novorossisk, also around the mouth of the Kuban river.

Reports from German sources suggest that the Germans may attempt a mainland movement from the east in order to capture a bridgehead near the Kerch Straits, after which a fresh army from the Crimea could pour into the Caucasian struggle. The Russians are aware of this possibility and point out that the time will be most propitious for a Russian counter-offensive anywhere from Voronej to the Baltic as soon as the German Army from the Crimea is entangled in the Caucasus. REPORTED PREPARATION FOR INVASION (Rec. 11.30 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 10. German reconnaissance planes over Britain have brought reports of Allied armies preparing for an invasion of the Continent in the near future, says The Daily Telegraph’s Stockholm correspondent. Captain von Schrammk, the German military commentator, in the newspaper Bruesseler Zeitung states that these reports have for the first time forced the threat of a second front to be taken seriously. The Gestapo chiefs in France, Belgium, Norway and Holland, acting in concert, have arrested 100 prominent persons as hostages for their countrymen’s good behaviour in the event of an Allied landing. A considerable number of troops, cliiefly panzer or motorized units, have reached the Atlantic coast in the last few mostly from the Viazma and Kharkov areas. No secret is made of this, for the Germans hope to stave off an invasion by exaggeration of the de- ; fences. j