IN SPITE OF GREATER ENEMY RESISTANCE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 January 1943, Page 3

IN SPITE OF GREATER ENEMY RESISTANCE

Red Armies in the Caucasus FURTHER PROGRESS MADE TOWARDS ROSTOV GERMAN COUNTER-ATTACKS IN LOWER DON AREA HEAVILY DEFEATED LONDON, January 13. The Red armies in the Caucasus are moving forward on a broad front towards. Voroshilovsk, about 80 miles ahead, and Armavir, 100 miles up the railway to Rostov. A stiffening of German resistance is reported, especially on the railway, but so far the enemy has not been able to check the Russian advance. Low-flying Soviet dive-bombers have now joined in the pursuit of the Germans. Soviet bombers have also been to Krasnodar, one of the German bases, and smashed or damaged 40 German aircraft lined up there. In the Lower Don, Russian progress in the last four days has been slowed down by heavy German counter-attacks. In one battle lasting 24 hours; the Germans threw in the biggest mass of infantry and tanks used in any single action recently. All the enemy attacks failed, with a cost of 2000 men killed and 40 tanks destroyed. Fighting has flared up at Stalingrad. A Soviet attack’ in the factory district pushed the enemy back to the western outskirts of the city. Six enemy counter-attacks were beaten off. The enemy lost 1000 men.