HEROIC SEBASTOPOL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 June 1942, Page 3

HEROIC SEBASTOPOL

WHOLE CITY IN RUINS BUT DEFENDERS AS RESOLUTE AS EVER. FORTIFICATIONS PAVED WITH ENEMY DEAD. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, June 25. The “Red Star” says that shells and bombs from thousands of planes have reduced Sebastopol to ruins. It is no longer a city. The scream of dive-bombers over the city is almost unending, but planes of the Red Air Force are still taking off from a hell-pitted, bomb-cratered aerodrome. They have shot down 12 and damaged five German planes in the last three days. In the Sebastopol offensive, four German and two Rumanian infantry divisions have been completely smashed and two German divisions and one Rumanian division have lost heavily. More than 150 tanks and hundreds of planes have been destroyed. The Russians beat off incessant German attacks, said the Moscow raflio. It added that fortifications of the area are paved with the bodies of enemy dead. Three battalions of German infantry were wiped out in the past 24 hours. The Germans, under cover of heavy tanks, made a further desperate effort to widen the gap in the northeast sector, but were again driven back. The “Red Star” reports that Russian warships entered Sebastopol Harbour, unloaded men and munitions and took on wounded and women and children. The guns of the warships supported the defenders while in the harbour. The Vichy radio reports fierce fighting in the Sebastopol dock area, where every building has been transformed into a fortress. The Berlin radio declared that Sebastopol is stronger than Verdun. The Russians have had years in which to embody in this fortress all their newlygained war experience. The Germans and Rumanians are able to advance only step by step after artillery preparation,