IN THE CAUCASUS AND FURTHER NORTH

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 January 1943, Page 3

IN THE CAUCASUS AND FURTHER NORTH

Threat to Rostov Developing Apace ENEMY LOSES 17 TANKS IN COUNTER-ATTACK FIERCE FIGHTING ON THE CENTRAL FRONT LONDON, January 12. The Russian army in the Caucasus is sweeping forward on a 75-mile wide front and driving the Germans back towards the Kuban country. One Russian cavalry unit has' advanced 12 miles since yesterday and another column has advanced 20 miles west of a branch line. In the last nine days the Russians have advanced over 100 miles. They burst into one town with such speed that the Germans had not time to burn down a single building. Staff officers were captured while asleep in their beds. In another town the Russians captured two enemy trains packed with troops and war material. As the Germans are moving back, north of the Caucasus, the threat to their link with Rostov is growing. The two Russian armies advancing towards Rostov, one down the Stalin-grad-Black Sea railway and the other in the country between the railway and the river, are now only 20 miles apart. Both are advancing towards Salsk, the junction of the branch line to Rostov. A little further north the Germans have made strong counter-attacks in an effort to stop the Russian advance. They sent in 100 tanks and strong infantry forces but all their attempts failed. Seventeen tanks were knocked out. The enemy is also counter-attacking hard near Velikiye Luki, on the central front.