FAR FROM SPENT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 December 1942, Page 4

FAR FROM SPENT

SOVIET DRIVE ON MIDDLE DON STILL MAKING IMPORTANT HEADWAY. ENEMY IN SOME SECTORS IN DISORDER. I (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.10 p.m.) LONDON, December 22. The Russians' two-pronged advance on the Middle Don front is still steadily pressing the enemy back on a broad front, despite the fact that the Germans and Italians in some sectors have recovered sufficiently from the first shock of the offensive to group their forces for counter-attacks. The Russians, in the first week of their advance on the Middle Don, have made progress varying from 60 to’ 90 miles. The British United Moscow correspondent says the Russians, in the first six days of the offensive, occupied approximately 6,000 square miles be tween the Don and Chir rivers and the Voronezh-Rostov Railway. The combined Russian forces, after swinging south in the direction of the junctions of the Voronezh-Rostov and StalingradKharkov railways, are continuing their pursuit of the shattered enemy over roads and ditches littered with corpses, broken guns, wrecked tanks and •vehicles. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent, declares that the Russian drive appears to be irresistible. A large township was captured after an eight-hour battle. There is no indication yet whether the town is Millerovo. The Germans and Italians are rolling back westwards and south-westwards, in some sectors in disorder. They are trying in some areas to create hastily fortified islands of resistance, but the Russians, in their onward sweep, are bypassing or crushing them with steamroller tactics.

FURTHER CAPTURES

MADE BY THE RUSSIANS. IMPRESSIVE DETAILS OF ENEMY LOSSES. LONDON, December 22. A special Moscow communique announces more Russian successes in the Middle Don. A number of places are named as having been captured, including one believed to be. Kamensk, about 40 miles south iof Millerovo. If this is now in Russian hands it means that a further substantial advance has been made. It is too early yet to give the exact significance of the latest Russian communique. Since the attack began a week ago the Russians have captured 108 tanks, 1,600 guns of all calibre, 2,400 ma-chine-guns, 6,700 trucks, 5,000 other vehicles and 82 food and ammunition stores. The enemy is retreating to the west and south-west and several dozen more towns and villages have been retaken. Another 7,000 Germans have been kill- , ed and almost 7,000 captured. Heavy fiahting continues in the central and factory areas of Stalingrad. South-west of Stalingrad the Nazis are counter-attacking vigorously. The Rus-’ sians are hanging on grimly. One attack cost the enemy 50 tanks, 21 guns and 64 trucks. I

BRITISH ADMIRATION

MR CHURCHILL’S MESSAGE TO M. STALIN. (Received This Pay, 11.45 a.m.) RUGBY, December 22. The Prime Minister (Mr Churchill) in a telegram of birthday greetings to M. Stalin, said Britain was watching with admiration the magnificent offensives of the Red ArmjL