MASS OF ARMOUR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 March 1943, Page 3

MASS OF ARMOUR

ASSEMBLED BY GERMANS IN ATTEMPT TO REACH KHARKOV FAILURE TO FORCE RIVER CROSSING. SOVIET GAINS IN CENTRE & NORTH. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, March 11. The Red Army has beaten off further powerful German attacks aimed at Kharkov, which are trying to break through at any cost. So far Russian guns and planes have destroyed every pontoon bridge that the Germans have tried to throw across the Donetz. The main German effort against Kharkov is being made from the south of the city. The Moscow correspondent of “The Times” says that the German concentration before Kharkov contains a greater mass of armour than the Wehrmacht has ever before assembled for a single operation, but it was reported last night to have met with no further success from the south in the past 24 hours. The Moscow “Red Star” states that the Russian anti-tank equipment is adequate for the frustration of the enemy’s designs. The Germans are reported to be using 12 armoured and infantry divisions and one mechanised division in the Kharkov area. The latest messages from the front indicate that the position is now more favourable than for some days past,, but they emphasise that the offensive is by no means broken. Moscow today reports the repulse of strong enemy counter-attacks west of Rostov. On the central front the Russian offensive is developing in a great semicircle from east of Vyazma and swinging right round to the north-west. Moscow reports that in a new advance from Gzhatsk the Russians have captured much enemy equipment. Another column has captured a place 15 miles south of Sychevka on the railway 30 miles north of Vyazma. Well to the west the advance from Byeloi is continuing. The latest news from the northwestern front is that Marshal Timoshenko’s forces have captured more towns and villages south of Lake Ilmen and seized large quantities of war material.