ENEMY ADVANCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 August 1942, Page 3

ENEMY ADVANCE

FROM EON BRIDGEHEAD ADMITTED IN MOSCOW. HARD FIGHTING IN CAUCASUS. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, August 25. Today’s Moscow communique admits a German advance from the bridgehead on the east bank of the Don on the Stalingrad, front. Enemy infantry, supported by large numbers of tanks and planes, pressed back the Soviet forces after intense fighting. South-west of Stalingrad the enemy have now driven a number of different wedges into the defences. The position in the Caucasus has also rapidly deteriorated in the last 24 hours, it is stated in London. The enemy force which, as announced last night, has reached the area of Prokhladnaya, is now on the great Georgian Military Road leading to Tiflis, though still barred by the Caucasus Mountains. Today's Moscow communique says enemy attacks: here have been repulsed by Russian forces with the support of two armoured trains. REGARDLESS OF COST NAZI EFFORT TO TAKE STALINGRAD RUSSIANS INFLICTING HEAVY LOSSES. RESISTANCE STIFFENING , IN CAUCASUS. > (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.25 a.m.) RUGBY, August 25. The Russian morning communique eports that fighting is continuing in me region of Prokladnaya, 70 miles east of the point where the line to Ordzhonokidze branches off the Rostov-Baku line. It is considered in London, however, that the Russian resistance is stiffening j in the Caucasus, and attention is directed to the area south-edst of Kletskaya, where the Germans have thrown large forces of tanks and infantry across the Don, and to the wedge in the Russian defences at Kotelnikov, east of the river. The Russians are inflicting heavy losses on the Germans. The latest despatches describing the German advance south-east of Kletskaya towards Stalingrad say the enemy has brought up heavy reinforcements of armoured forces and infantry, and appears to be determined to take Stalingrad regardless of the cost. Meanwmie Stalingrad is improving its defences. SOVIET WAR DIRECTION COMMENDED BY AMERICAN OBSERVER. CAIRO, August 23. Major-General Maxwell, the United States envoy, who went to Moscow with Mr Averell Harriman, said he received a most favourable impression of

the Soviet’s management of the war situation. The Russians were pleased with the behaviour of the American equipment.