CAMP OF PRISONERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 January 1943, Page 3

CAMP OF PRISONERS

ENCIRCLED GERMAN FORCE WEST OF STALINGRAD POSITION QUITE HOPELESS. SOVIET THREAT TO ROSTOV. (Bv Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) LONDON, January 18. The “Daily Express’s” correspondent, Paul Holt, has just completed a- 2000mile, 14-day tour of the front, and at Stalingrad he flew half-way round the German forces which are encircled. Mr Holt also interviewed General Malinovsky in a Cossack village near the Don far to the west of Stalingrad. General Malinovsky said, “The German armies encircled before Stalingrad are nothing more than an armed camp of war prisoners. Their position is hopeless; they cannot be relieved.” Discussing the prospects of future progress, General Malinovsky said: “The Germans feel the great threat to Rostov and are beginning to bring up reinforcements from other fronts. The Russian offensive power is preventing the Germans from the development of their armoured strength. They have tanks, but they are no longer able to use them effectively. The Red Army has increased in skill, and our infantry are now able to halt 110 tanks at one time. Also, the many Russian offensives on widely-separated fronts are compelling the Luftwaffe to disperse its strength.’ A German pilot who was shot down when trying to fly bread to the entrapped army, said, “They do not know in Germany that the German army is surrounded at Stalingrad.”