THRUST AT CAUCASUS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 June 1942, Page 4

THRUST AT CAUCASUS

FOLLOWING ON AXIS GAIN IN LIBYA ANTICIPATED IN LONDON. POSITION AT SEBASTOPOL CRITICAL. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, Noon.) LONDON, June 22. Vigorous German assaults against Sebastopol, and its probable fall, must be correlated with Rommel’s offensive in Libya and the danger of an immediate push against Egypt, Now that the Axis southern pincer has decidedly advanced, a move by the northern pincer towards the Caucasus must be expected. Sebastopol’s position is critical. The “Pravda,” however, says all attacks yesterday on the Sebastopol front' were beaten off —the German onslaughts failed to breach the Russian lines. The Red Army, on the southern sector, wiped out a company of German infantry and regained a strategic height after savage hand-to-hand fighting. According to a report from Bucharest, street fighting is now going on in Sebastopol. SEVERE FIGHTING REPORTED BY RUSSIANS. LONDON. June 22. A. Soviet communique states: “Our troops in the Kharkov sector have been engaged against attacking forces of the enemy. At Sebastopol severe fighting continues. No material change has taken place on any other sector.” BITTER FIGHTING ON THE VOLKHOV FRONT. ACCORDING TO GERMANS. (Received This Day, 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, June 22. A German communique reports that the Russians, with strong tank forces, again attacked on the Volkhov front, where bitter fighting is in progress.