UPPER HAND

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 December 1942, Page 3

UPPER HAND

GAINED BY RUSSIANS SOUTH-WEST OF STALINGRAD Germans Again Thrown Back on Defensive ATTACKS BITING DEEPLY INTO FLANKS OF ENEMY WEDGE SOVIET GAINS IN OTHER AREAS LONDON, December 16. The German forces trying to push on from Kotelnikovo, south-weflt of Stalingrad, are back on the defensive and are seriously threatened by the Soviet troops, which have regained the initiative. The Russians are biting deeply into the flanks of the narrow German wedge south-west of Stalingrad. North-west of the city the Soviet forces have taken more enemy positions and have also captured several centres of enemy resistance on another sector of the Stalingrad front. Fairly heavy losses have been inflicted on the Axis troops. More clashes are reported in the suburbs oL Stalingrad, where. the Russians have dislodged the Germans from more stronglyheld positions. On the central front the Russians, west of Rzhev, have pushed through the German positions amid violent fighting. The Germans are throwing in every available man and are desperately organising further defence lines. At Velikiye Luki Soviet forces are rounding up German garrisons surrounded during the initial Russian advance. The enemy is making a very strong defence on the central front, but so far- his counterattacks have been unsuccessful.

ENEMY DELAYS » LIKELY TO PROVE COSTLY POSSIBILITY OF THRUST FROM VORONEZH. WEATHER FACTOR IMPORTANT (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, December 15. The Germans seem to have taken about three weeks since the encirclement of their army west of Stalingrad to mount the counteroffensive for its relief, which has now developed from the direction of Kotelnikovo. It is presumed that the delay has been due to three causes; First, having no tactical reserves immediately available, the enemy have had to.bring up troops from the Ukraine and the Crimea; secondly, the bad weather has hampered their movements; and, thirdly, the Russian offensive on the central front has pinned down the reserves west of Moscow. The Germans report that the Russians are now probing their defences north of Voronezh, between the two great battlefronts. A Russian offensive along this part’ of the Don has long been foreseen, but it has not been expected till hard frosts enable the tanks to cross the rivers and ..marshes. A

heavy thaw has just taken place in the Moscow area, arrd its effects will probably extend at least as far south as Voronezh, and, consequently, it is unlikely that the offensive will be made at present. Stalingrad ordinarily has a very dry climate, ..and the .weather there may now be more favourable for movement.

EARLIER NEWS HEAVY ENEMY ATTACKS HELD. VAIN ATTEMPTS TO BREAK’ RING. LONDON, December 15. The Germans near Kotelnikovo are * attacking heavily in terrain which is difficult to defend and over which they had ranidly advanced to Stalingrad last August. Yet this time the Russians are holding them in a swaying struggle in which the Wehrmacht is continuously suffering heavy losses in tanks and men. , ’ The Stockholm correspondent of -“The Times” says that the Germans must greatly increase the weight of their attacks before claiming a chance of fulfilling even the firs't stage of such an operation, and they would have had a better chance if they had attempted the relief movement in November. The Russians have since strengthened the ring, which is at present S(J miles thick near Kotelnikovo, and scarcely thinner elsewhere.