Germans Win Firmer Footing On Don Banks

Taranaki Daily News, 21 August 1942, Page 3

Germans Win Firmer Footing On Don Banks

Threat to Stalingrad greatly increased. London, Aug. 20. Stalingrad, only 40 miles from the Don, is in the greatest danger, with the Germans on the wrest bank and trying to force crossings. The two-fisted drive was intensified with new onslaughts in the Klietskaya region and north-eastward of Kotelnikov. Moscow reports say that the Germans are attacking in all directions in the Klietskaya region with fresh reserves and bombers. • The Times Stockholm correspondent j gays that reinforced German tanks and artillery at some points east of Klietskaya I battered their way to the Don bank, where the enemy footing appears to be firmer than in any previous penetration. In the region of the lower Don northeast of Kotelnikov heavy losses baulked the Axis forces. Big Enemy Force. . Moscow messages state that the Germans have resumed their attack northeast of Kotelnikov, where a big force of tanks, motorised troops and aircraft is concentrated on a narrow front. The first onslaught was repuised. Two German divisions penetrated five miles but their losses were so heavy that when the Russians struck back they retreated. In another place the German attackers were broken up by tanks as they were assembling and the attack was forestalled. Simultaneously the utmOst efforts are still being made to expel the Russians from inside the Don loop south-east of Klietskaya, where on Tuesday the Russians again made a withdrawal. 1 Threat Increases. Radio reports say that the German threat to Stalingrad from the north-west has increased seriously in the past 24 hours. The Russian forces in the Don bend have been driven back to their last defences by heavily reinforced enemy troops, tanks and planes. At some points the Germans have already reached the west bank of the Don. The enemy is making a supreme effort to smash through so that they can launch a strong attack on Stalingrad.