ADVANCE AT STALINGRAD

Southland Times, Issue 24886, 28 October 1942, Page 5

ADVANCE AT STALINGRAD

RUSSIANS FACE DIFFICULTIES (Rec. 8.20 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 26. The situation inside Stalingrad is very difficult following the latest German advance, in the industrial area bordering the Volga. The German High Command stated that the Germans yesterday penetrated further into the north suburbs and captured numerous nests of resistance in the passages and cellars of the “Red October” works. German Stukas dropped thousands of bombs on the enemy positions on a Volga island opposite the “Red October” works. The German News Agency later said that Major-General Rodimstev, the commander of the Stalingrad garrison, had launched 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 places on the north bank, although the German High Command tonight claimed that the Germans had crossed the Baksar river, west of Terek. Skirmishes are going on in parts of the Caucasus at a height of 12,000 feet on the edge of glaciers. The Russians do not under-estimate the German alpine troops and realize that vigilance will be necessary in the Caucasus throughout the winter. ICE ON LAKE LADOGA Lake Ladoga, over which Leningrad was supplied 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 ice-hard. M. Paspelov, a member of the Committee of the Communist Party, broadcasting to the Red Army, said: “The Soviet Union through its struggle has earned world-wide sympathy and love from all progressive and honest people. The friendly relations have been strengthened between the Soviet Union and Britain and America. The opening of a European second front would further strengthen our fighting collaboration with the Allies.” A drying wind has apparently hardened the ground at Stalingrad sufficiently to enable the Germans to make an extra spurt, although latest reports state that the Russians have regained sufficient ground to compensate for the loss of the two streets which the Germans over-ran on Sunday. MajorGeneral Rodimstev’s men, entrenched in the “Red October” factory, are fighting a decisive battle. Moscow reports say that fighting is going on on the fringes of the factory. The Moscow correspondent of The Times says that German commanders at Stalingrad now apparently intend to hammer away on a limited front while keeping their main force to ward off the Russian relief attacks. OPTIMISM IN BERLIN Berlin spokesmen have again changed their tone from pessimism to optimism. They forecast the imminent fall of Stalingrad. A spokesman today told neutral correspondents that German artillery for the first time had taken up positions on the Volga in the northern part of the city, making the transport of Russian reinforcements across the river very difficult. Vichy radio declared that the Russians were holding only one district, two Volga bridgeheads and a few blocks of buildings. It added that the defenders’ situation was critical. Tire radio said that although German guns were bombarding reinforcements and supplies crossing the river the transportation of Russian troops and food continued.