LIMITED GAIN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 March 1943, Page 3

LIMITED GAIN

MADE BY THE GERMANS ON THE DONETZ WEST BANK CONTINUED SOVIET ADVANCE IN CENTRE. AND SOUTH OF LAKE ILMEN. LONDON, March 19. In South Russia, the Reel Army has had to yield a little more ground in the Kharkov area, in face of violent German infantry and tank thrusts. The ground lost is part of one of the three bridgeheads held by the Russians on the west bank of the Donetz. So far the Russians have hurled back all enemy attempts to force a crossing of the river. The German advance was made at Chuguyev, 25 miles south-east of Kharkov, where the enemy obviously is trying hard to drive the Russians out of important positions on the west bank of the Donetz. There are no indications that the German advance is in the nature of a major break through. Between Kursk and Kharkov the fighting is still violent on a broad front. The Germans claim to have taken Bielgorod, an important railway junction 40 miles north of Kharkov. So far, there is nothing to. confirm this claim. About 120 miles further north, the Germans admit that Soviet troops are nearing Orel. They talk of mass Russian tank and infantry attacks south of the town. On the central and northern fronts the Russians continue Ito make steady progress. Soviet forces driving on from Viazma towards Smolensk are reported to be within ten miles of a railway junction town only 17 miles from Smolensk itself. Marshal Timoshenko’s troops have driven the Germans out of more strong positions south of Lake Ilmen. Mr Paul Winterton says Soviet bombers are extremely active on this front. CRITICAL STAGE IN MOMENTOUS BATTLE. THAW MAY ASSIST RED ARMY. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.45 a.m.) • LONDON, March 19. The momentous battle for the Donetz River is now at a critical stage. Huge infantry and tank forces are battling as the fierce tide of fighting sways to and fro across the half-frozen river. Nevertheless the Russians, with undiminished vigour, are crushing on in their important offensives further north. They are drawing the net closer around Smolensk, while Marshal Timoshenko is forcing back the enemy southward of Lake Ilmen. Massive German tank attacks newly menace the Russian winter gains in the Kharkov area. A German communique today claims the capture of Byelgorod. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says this suggests that the southern arm of the Russian salient which half encircles Orel has been rolled back. The Russians admit that the Germans penetrated their positions in the Chuguyev area, where the Germans are throwing in fresh forces in order to widen the gap. The retention of the Chuguyev sector is vital for the protection of the Russian left flank in the vicinity of Volshansk. The Red Army still holds a bridgehead on the western bank of the Donetz near Chuguyev, after smashing a German wedge, but it is very difficult tq prevent the Germans, under cover of darkness, placing pontoon bridges across the river at some points along IS miles of its upper reaches. The Germans are eager to secure a bridgehead and have thrust tanks across the thawing ice, several crashing through the ice. DONETZ ICE WEAKENING. The untimely thaw, which originally caused a halt in the Russian offensive, may prove the Red Army’s friend in the crisis on the Donetz front. If the Donetz ice cracks up the river will for days be a swirling mass of broken ice, which would sweep away pontoon bridges. Meanwhile light Russian units are taking advantage of the ice to make swift raids on the western bank and mine the most important crossing places. Another Moscow message says a tremendous battle has developed around the Russian bridgehead at Chuguyev, where blows from German massed tank fists succeed one another in rapid succession. These non-stop shock tactics succeeded in one sector in wresting some territory from the Russians, but the latest despatches from the front line indicate that the German mechanised forces have been halted, at least temporarily. ‘ CENTRE & NORTH BATTLES. Correspondents describe the battle, which is now entering on its third week, as being as furious as any of the Russian war. The Germans on the central front are doing their utmost to prevent a Russian column which is descending the Dnieper valley, from joining the force threatening Durovo. They are. also hanging on to the last miles of the railway between Nikitinka and Durovo. The Russians approaching Smolensk are meeting progressively tougher resistance. The Russians are now running into powerful defence positions and big troop concentrations guarding the distant approaches to Smolensk. The Soviet forces have driven a considerable distance west of Izdeshkovo, battles for which lasted three days. A captured German officer said that in just over a week’s fighting, his regiment lost sixty per cent of its effectives. The Red Air Force now has the task of softening up belts of German strongpoints. Stormoviks are plastering the enemy batteries and road communications leading to the front. Marshal Timoshenko’s troops, advancing across thawing marshes, sometimes knee deep in sticky mud, are continuing their advance, which in the last four days has not been halted. HUSBAND & WIFE BUY TANK & TAKE IT TO FRONT. NEW MOVEMENT STARTED IN RUSSIA. (Received This Day, Noon.) . LONDON, March 19. An Associated Press correspondent in Moscow reports that a Russian husband and wife bought a tank, received training and went to the front in it to fight. Their lead started a new movement. The Russian Press reports that many others are doing likewise.