OF RUSSIAN COUNTERSTROKE WEST OF MOSCOW

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 August 1942, Page 3

OF RUSSIAN COUNTERSTROKE WEST OF MOSCOW

Enemy Defences Penetrated Deeply on Wide Front GERMAN COLUMNS STILL CONVERGING ON STALINGRAD IN FACE OF RESOLUTE SOVIET RESISTANCE LONDON, August 2G. The Germans are converging’ on Stalingrad from three directions. A special announcement from Moscow says the Russians, in a counter-attack on the Moscow front, have thrown the Germans back more than 25 miles on a 90-mile front. The latest reports from Russia indicate that Stalingrad is preparing for a siege. The city’s Home Guard, tens of thousands of steel workers, have been put on a war footing and are digging trenches and preparing fortifications. Earlier reports stated that the Germans were only 35 miles from the city, following their break-through on the Don. Two other German columns are striking towards, the city from the west and south-west. The Germans have established a bridgehead on the Don after forcing their.way through on a narrow sector with a treemndous weight of men and material. One great tank battle has already taken place just over 30 miles from the city. Reserves of Russian tanks were thrown in to meet the spearhead of the enemy attack head-on. The Russians counter-attacked vigorously. The situation is very grave since the German bridgehead on the. Don gives the enemy the means of sending up reinforcements. Reports regarding the position south-west of Stalingrad indicate that the Germans are being held, though the situation remains grave. The Russians have not only repelled all German attacks in the last 24 hours, but have also launched several counter-attacks. No big change is reported in the Caucasus. There was a big Russian break through on the Moscow front 15 days ago in an offensive launched in the direction of Ryhev and Viazma. Soviet troops also passed to the offensive on the Kalinin front. In the first two days of the fighting, on a front of nearly 200 miles, the German defences were penetrated on a 90-mile front and the Germans were thrown back 20 to 30 miles. As many as 45,000 German officers and men were killed and the material captured included 250 tanks and over 800 guns.