CRITICAL POINT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 August 1942, Page 3

CRITICAL POINT

DON CROSSINGS WEST OF STALINGRAD RUSSIANS COUNTER ATTACKING TO PREVENT CONSOLIDATION - OF BRIDGEHEADS. I British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.55 a.m.) RUGBY, August 21. The critical point on the Russian front, it is recognised in London, is still on the front west of Stalingrad, where very heavy German pressure, lasting for four weeks, has forced the defenders back in several places. During the last few days the Germans have been in a position to attempt crossings of the Don on a fairly wide front, west of Stalingrad, and, in very severe fighting, they have been wiped out, but the latest despatches report that attempts are continuing and that the Russians are counter-attacking to prevent the consolidation of bridgeheads. The ‘'lzvestia” says the Germans were hurled back to the river and reduced to. dust by tank traps and pinned to the ground by bayonets, while the waters of the Don became the colour of blood. The Russians are still fighting inside the Don bend north-west of Stalingrad and at present are holding their own north-east of Kotelnikovo. The Germans continue to throw in reinforcements on a narrow front, but the progress they have made has been slight in the past few days compared with the enormous losses they have suffered. In the Caucasus area the German advance goes on south of the Kuban River towards the mountain range screening Novorissisk-and Tuapse. The Cossacks are fighting dogged rearguard actions in the northern foothills. In the south-east there also jseems to have been a further advance against stiff resistance.

A local Russian success is reported from the Leningrad sector.