THREAT TO STALINGRAD

Southland Times, Issue 24831, 25 August 1942, Page 5

THREAT TO STALINGRAD

(United Press Association—Telegraph Copyright) (Rec. 1,15 a.m.) LONDON, August 24. Marshal Semion Timoshenko’s forces are making big efforts to smash the German bridgehead on the east bank of the Don. Meanwhile, the German thrusts north-west and south-west of Stalingrad have . made dangerous progress. Heavy fighting is still going on in the Don Bend, where the Russians have gained some success with a flank attack. Stalingrad’s defenders in the upper part of the Don Bend have driven the enemy from a number of points on the heights. The Moscow correspondent of The Times says this has slightly relieved the Russian position on the most dangerous sector. The Germans here control a stretch of the river’s right bank broad enough for several simultaneous crossing attempts. Russian reports indicate that the Germans who are across the Don are gettiing no freedom of manoeuvre, but they admit the existence of a critical situation calling for the utmost vigilance along the waterline. Field Marshal Fedor von Bock’s southern prong pushing towards Stalingrad north-east of Kotelnikovo is reported to possess a heavier weight of tanks and men than at any time since the offensive was intensified on August 5. The Daily Telegraph’s Stockholm correspondent says 3000 planes are blasting a way for the German panzer columns converging on Stalingrad from the north-west and south-west. The Russians counter-attacking on the Don’s east bank are handicapped by the enemy’s superiority in tanks and planes. The fighting around Orel is now favourable to the Russians. The enemy’s armoured fist was found lacking in strength when the Russians counter-at-tacked persistently. The Hungarians suffered heavily here, also on the Voronej front. The Russians are holding on to the Voronej positions they have won from the Hungarians in the past fortnight. In addition to the Kaluga offensive mentioned by Berlin local activity is reported from the Viazma, Rjev, Lake Ilmen and Volkhov sectors.