FOUR HOLES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 November 1942, Page 4

FOUR HOLES

GOUGED IN NAZI FRONT SURPRISE THE KEY TO SOVIET SUCCESS. THIRD OFFENSIVE EXPECTED BY GERMANS. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.10 a.m.) LONDON. November 29. The Red Army is punching more holes in the Todt line of massive fortifications on the central front, on which the Germans laboured for eight months, the “Izvestia” says. The Russians have already gouged four holes, varying from seven to 20 miles in depth. The Germans’ effort to resist on the central and Don fronts is costing them 10,000 men daily. The “Red Star” says the key to suecess in the Russian central front oftensive has been surprise. The Russians often penetrated the first Ime defences without opposition. The Germans in some sectors unsuccessfully tried to stand and also failed to regain positions on the railway lines between Neval and Velikiye Luki, and between Rzhev and Viazma. Reuter's Moscow correspondent reports that Red Army troops and tanks are pouring into the breaches made in the Rzhev sector. Berlin sources say a heavy third offensive is impending against the German line at Voronezh, where the Russians are massing forces. It appears that the new offensive between Rzhev and Velikiye Luki, on a front of 150 miles, has punched four separate gaps with a total width of fifty miles, a British Official Wireless message states. The penetration varies from 8 to 12 miles. Velikiye Luki is thought to be isolated in much the same way as Rzhev was or perhaps even completely surrounded, as Staraya Russa was for a time last winter. In the Stalingrad area, the Russians are now taking necessary steps to prevent the Germans from breaking out. The effect of yesterday’s advance has been a further consolidation of the southern and northern thrusts and a constriction from the north of the forces surrounded between the Dm and the Volga. Especially marked was the extension westward of the southern arm of the pincers to within ten miles of the south-eastern angle of the Don bend, where Yabloc'hny, only 12 miles north of Kotelnikovo, was captured. Along the railway the Russians cook Chalikovo station, about 25 miles north-east of Kotelnikovo. This move down the south-western railway will evidently make it more difficult for the enemy to develop a counter-attack from outside. , . The lack of news of a big German move from outside the ring is not unexpected, as it would have to be on such a large scale as would take some time to prepare. Another important place taken was Nizhni Gailovsky, a few miles south of Kachalmsk, at the north-eastern angle of the Don bend. Eamokhina, inside the pocket and about 30 miles west of Kalach, was also captured.

OFFICIAL REPORT

MOUNTING ENEMY LOSSES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.10 a.m.) RUGBY, November 29. The Soviet High Command states:— “The offensive was continued last night in the area of Stalingrad and on the central front in the same directions as before. On the central front the Russians are beating off counterattacks and widening gaps. Artillery, advancing with the infantry, is inflicting heavy losses. In the northern part of Stalingrad large enemy forefes attacked, but were driven back to their initial positions, with a loss of 450, while 200 were killed in the workers settlement. The Russian advance has been continued north-west of the city, where the Germans lost 1,500 killed m one engagement and left 800 dead in a place captured by the Russians. The advance has also been continued southwest of Stalingrad. “In 24 hours, in the Stalingrad area, 64 German aircraft were destroyed in the air or on the ground, including 46 transport planes. “The Russians also advanced southeast of Nalchik. Street fighting is going on in one place and 400 of the enemy were accounted for in another.”