STILL UNBROKEN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 September 1942, Page 4

STILL UNBROKEN

DEFENCE OF STALINGRAD VICHY OCCUPATION REPORT DENIED. GERMANS ATTACKING OVER THOUSANDS OF CORPSES. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 1.30 p.m.) LONDON, September 17. The Vichy radio, quoting a Bucharest report, says Stalingrad has been occupied. This report is not confirmed from any other source. The German Propaganda Ministry, however, told newspaper men to stand by for “a Stalingrad victory announcement” within 24 hours. The latest Russian advices insist that, while German attacks have reached the outskirts of the city, they have been repulsed. A front line despatch to the “Izvestia” says: “Seeing the city under their eyes, the Germans are Satanic with ferocity. They surge forward over thousands of corpses of their own men, past hundreds of smashed German tanks, trying to force a way into the city.” M-scow reports that the Russian grip on Rzhev is daily tightening. The Rus:.ans now hold the main airfield, on outskirts and the barracks for Rzhev’s permanent garrison. A Helsinki communique states that the Russians on the southern sector have continued their pressure, brought up new reinforcements and penetrated the third Finnish defence line, where they were brought to a standstill.

FIERCE ENGAGEMENTS FOUGHT IN NORTH-WESTERN OUTSKIRTS. SURVIVING ENEMY TROOPS THROWN OUT. LONDON, September 17. Although the position -round Stalingrad is still critical a slight improvement in the situation is reported. A Soviet communique states that Russian troops fought fierce engagements with the enemy north-west of Stalingrad and in the Mozdok area in the Caucasus. No material change has taken place on other fronts. A sunplement to the communique states that north-west of Stalingrad the enemy is trying at all costs to break through th? defences. The Germans are continually attacking. A single detachment penetrated into the streets of the town. Heavy street fighting followed, with hand to hand fighting. At the end of the day, the enemy was repulsed, leaving behind hundreds of dead and scores of tanks and guns in his retreat. In the Mozdok area an enemy attack was repulsed and the Germans were driven out of an unnamed village. South-east of Novorossisk Russian marines have beaten off seveial Axis attacks. Two enemy mme-sweep-ers and three motor torpedo boats wer° sunk in a German-occupied port. An attack by the enemy m the Voronezh area was repulsed with heavy loss and the Germans have been driven from a village.