ADVANCE AT RJEV

Southland Times, Issue 24838, 2 September 1942, Page 5

ADVANCE AT RJEV

RUSSIAN EFFORT (Rec. 8.15 p.m.) LONDON, Aug. 31. The situation at Stalingrad, where the Germans are making gains from an enormous effort, is duplicated at Rjev, where the Russians are slowly increasing the area under their control in face of very tough resistance. The German propaganda machine today claimed a new advance towards Stalingrad, but warned journalists not to assume that the city’s fall was only a matter of days. The Russians, however, displayed confidence regarding the outcome of the Rjev battle by permitting foreign journalists for the first time to see the actual fighting. British journalists report that the Russians’ offensive against Rjev has developed in two main thrusts north and south of the city, which swung inward, but have not yet joined up. The Russians cut the railway leading westward from Rjev. Thus the German garrison, which is estimated at 90,000 picked troops has lost its last connection with its supporting points. The Russians west of Rjev are slowly forcing the Germans south-eastward along the right bank of the Volga. The Germans are repeatedly launching heavy counter-attacks in all sectors. Correspondents state that the Germans in some sectors lost 60 per cent, of

their personnel under the Russian barrages, in which a new Russian gun, the Katyusha, figured largely. The correspondents saw craters 30 feet in diameter and 15 feet deep where the Katyushas projectiles had exploded. The Katyusha is a big mortar. HIGHWAY DOUBLED Before opening the central front offensive the Russians doubled, and in some places trebled, the main highway going westward from Volokolamsk to give military traffic the required momentum. An unusually wet summer left the heavy clay terrain waterlogged, which threatened to impede the advance. Soviet sappers felled 1000 trees along the forest road, after which they nailed great boards across the logs at chassis width. Log-fellers cleared a wide strip on each side which served as a tank highway. FIELD-MARSHAL LIST DISMISSED LONDON, August 31. Hitler has dismissed Field-Marshal Siegmund List, the conqueror of Poland, who was recently sent to Yugoslavia to stamp out guerrilla activities, reports the Italian radio. Colonel-General Loehr succeeds Field-Marshal List. Reuter’s correspondent says that Field-Marshal List is reported to have recently written to Hitler criticizing the present operations and warning him against the danger of a second winter campaign in Russia.