HARDENED GROUND

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 October 1942, Page 4

HARDENED GROUND

FAVOURS NEW NAZI EFFORT AT STALINGRAD BUT SOME POSITIONS REGAINED BY RUSSIANS. GERMAN AND VICHY CLAIMS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 1.5 p.m.) LONDON, October 26. A drying wind apparently has hardened ground at Stalingrad sufficiently to enable the Germans to make an extra spurt, although the latest reports state that the Russians have regained sufficient ground to compensate for the loss of the two streets, which the Germans overran on Sunday. General Rodimstev’s men entrenched in the Red October Factory are fighting a decisive battle. Moscow reports say fighting is going on in the fringes of the factory. “The Times” Moscow correspondent says the German commanders at Stalingrad now apparently intend to haminer away on a limited front, while keeping their main force to ward off Russian relief attacks. Berlin spokesmen have again changed their tone from pessimism to optimism. They forecast the immenent fall of Stalingrad. A spokesman today told neutral correspondents that German artillery for the first time had taken up positions on the Volga, in the northern part of the city, rendering the transport of Russian reinforcements across the river very difficult. The Vichy radio declared that the Russians are holding only one district, two Volga bridgeheads and a few blocks of buildings. The radio added that the defenders’ situation is critical. It said also that although guns are bombarding reinforcements and supplies crossing the river, the transportation of Russian troops and food continues.