PUNISHING BLOWS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 October 1942, Page 3

PUNISHING BLOWS

STRUCK BY RUSSIANS IN STALINGRAD AREA & CAUCASUS. HEAVY TOLL TAKEN OF ENEMY. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.50 a.m.) RUGBY, October 9. Apart from the magnificent Russian resistance at Stalingrad itself, other factors are thought to have led the Germans to make their decision to call off infantry attacks. Marshal Timoshenko’s relieving armies, though most strongly resisted, have made progress in new positions and have answered the enemy’s incessant' attacks by coun-ter-charges. The Germans. hurled greatly superior forces against the 'troops under General Rodimtser, forcing him on the defensive, but by frequent counter-drives the Russian general has exacted a heavy toll, killing several thousand of the enemy in the last two days. The Russian defenders ’ south of the city repelled an attack by 54 tanks trying to drive a wedge from two sides. The Red Army is reported to be continuing to make d slow advance north-west of Stalingrad, in face of stiff resistance and repeated coun-ter-attacks. There was especially fierce • fighting for heights, each of which was a German strong-point. In the battle •.for one height the Germans lost eight tanks, but did not ■ recapture the height. The Russians have counter-attacked south-east of Novorossisk and improved their positions, the Germans withdrawing badly mauled. Rumanians are replacing them, with fresh German troops, in an effort to push forward. The battle in the Mozdok area is said by Moscow to have flared up afresh. The Germans attacked in three sectors, in one of which seven attacks of gradually mounting power were repulsed. The last onslaught was especially violent. The . Russians, bringing up reserves of men and tanks, counter-attacked and improved their

own positions. A counter-attack also improved the situation in the neighbourhood of a sector where long-range artillery and aircraft destroyed a majority of twenty tanks. This enabled the Soviet infantry to charge. South of Mozdok fifty enemy tanks, supporting infantry in a narrow sector, were repulsed.