Timoshenko Ordered To Hold Stalingrad At All Costs

Taranaki Daily News, 28 August 1942, Page 3

Timoshenko Ordered To Hold Stalingrad At All Costs

Germans break through j across Don in force. i Rec. 11.35 p.m. London, Aug. 27. M. Stalin has ordered Marshal . Timoshenko to hold Stalingrad at all costs, with the result that the full weight of Russian armoured reserves was first moved up to the front to-day. The Germans have replied with more dive-bombers and fighter-bombers, which are swooping in continuously against strongly fortified Russian positions. The carnage on both sides is appalling. The battle for Stalingrad is still moving in favour of the Germans, despite the Russians' valiant ! efforts. i The manner in which the Germans are rushing Stalingrad from three directions indicates their determination to take the city and cut the Volga artery before the j Russians have rallied or a second front is opened elsewhere. The Russians' counter-attacks may also divert some of the Luftwaffe strength at present pounding against Stalingrad's defences, war factories and river traffic. Extremely Grave. The situation north-west of the city is described in Moscow messages as extremely grave. Superior enemy forces are reported to be maintaining their pressure despite enormous losses. The danger became imminent wh'Cn the Germans broke through in depth by cutting a junction between the Soviet forces. At the same time inside the Don bend near Klietskaya the Soviet defence remains as stubborn as ever and fighting continues. Massed German tanks are driving on towards Stalingrad. Very strong forces which crossed the Don under a big air umbrella succeeded in deploying and are advancing at surprising speed. The Red Star admits that the Germans after fierce ground fighting found a gap in the Russian lines and penetrated in depth into the Russian defences, cutting the junction of the two Russian units. Reuter's Moscow correspondent says that the Russians are holding the German drive from the south-west. The Red army at some places has counterattacked and forced back a number of German units. It is estimated at Moscow that a total of 750,000 men, including 25 armoured divisions, are driving on Stalingrad from the north-west, west • and south-west. The Moscow midnight communique reported fighting south-east of Klietskaya, north-west of Stalingrad, northeast of Kotelnikov, south-west of Krasnodar and at a new place, Mozdok, 60 miles north-west of Grozny. Mozdok is on the Rostov-Baku railway and on the pipe-line. Weeks of Violent Battles. The German break-through north-west of Stalingrad occurred after several weeks of the most violent battles on the west bank of the Don loop. There several panzer and a number of infantry divisions, as well as heavy artillery, kept pressing day and night. The Germans forced the Don several times but the Red army kept wiping out enemy troops on the east bank. Three days ago, however, the Germans made a supreme effort to cross the river with heavy forces and finally succeeded under cover of a large number of aircraft. Enemy tanks and motorised infantry penetrated some way into the Soviet defences and began to advance towards Stalingrad from the north-west in the face of fierce resistance. This was especially the case near an unnamed settlement where a terrific tank battle took. place and the Germans were turned back. The Red Star says: "In other directions on this front our units are

holding the enemy. The situation is complieated and fierce battles are raging everywhere." In the Kotelnikov area, from which the Germans are attempting to drive north-eastwards to attack Stalingrad from the flank, a Moscow message says that the Russians have somewhat improved their position. The Red army repulsed all enemy attacks in this direction and they are still counter-attacking at a number of points. A German communique claims a further advance westward of Stalingrad and says the Luftwaffe attacked Stalingrad night and day. A Berlin message claims that the central railway station is in flames and many buildings in the centre of the city have been destroyed by bombs. The Vichy radio reports that the Germans captured Businovsk, 35 miles south-westward of Stalingrad. Stalingrad is preparing for a siege. The city's Horae Guard, numbering hundreds of thousands of steel workers, has been put to work and men and women are digging trenches and preparing fortifications. Earlier messages said that the Germans were only 35 miles from the city following their break-through from the Don. Their most dangerous thrust is from the north-west. Two other columns are fighting towards Stalingrad from the south and south-west. Weight of Armour. The Germans established a bridgehead on the Don after forcing their way through on a narrow sector with a tremendous weight of armour and masses of troops and planes. One great tank battle has already taken place just over 30 miles from the city's outskirts. Marshal Timoshenko threw in tanks against the enemy and they met in a terrific head-on clash. The Germans j were stopped and the Russians counter- | attacked vigorously but the situation ls j very grave because the German bridgej head on the Don means that the enemy can move up reinforcements. ! To the south-west the Germans are j belng held, though the situation remains ; serious. In the last 24 hours the Soviet i forces have repulsed German attacks and have also launched a series of counterI attacks. i