DEEP WEDGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 May 1943, Page 3

DEEP WEDGE

DRIVEN BY RUSSIANS INTO GERMAN KUBAN DEFENCES BUT STRONG FORTIFICATIONS YET TO BE BROKEN, IN ATTACK ON NOVOROSSISK. LONDON, May 7. lii Russia, the Red Army advancing' from Krymskaya has driven a wedge into the German lines south of the Kuban River and has cut the main defence line between the Axis forces at Novorossisk and those trying to hold out north of the river. The Russians are reported to be only five miles from Novorossisk. Correspondents point out that the conquest of the last enemy stronghold in this region is likely to prove tough going, as the area is full of steep hills, with deep valleys. The Germans have a powerful network of fortifications round the city and have brought up more resreves. The Red Air Force still holds mastery of the air over the whole area and is making mass raids, on the Germans. CLAIM BY GERMANS HEAVY DESTRUCTION OF SOVIET PLANES. DURING RAID ON OREL AIRFIELD. LONDON, May 6. A German statement quoted by Vichy radio says that 69 out of 100 Soviet planes which raided Orel aerodrome this afternoon were shot down. Paris radio also reported that Russian artillery fired 20,000 shells during one day of the Kuban offensive. The commentator described the Russian drive down the railway from Krymskaya as aimed to form a junction with the Russian forces landed north of Novorossisk. The Russians are supplying the latter force by sea because they are unable to use the Tuapse-Novorossisk road.

RUSSIAN REPORT DESTRUCTION OF 350 GERMAN AIRCRAFT. AT COST OF 24 SOVIET MACHINES. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, May 7. The Russians have made further progress, against the German bridgehead in the Kuban Country. The midnight Soviet communique states that Russian troops continued their offensive operations today northeast of Novorossisk. Twenty-seven enemy planes were shot down in combat. The Russians last eleven. There was no material change in other parts of the Russian front.

A supplement to the communique states that Russian troops drove the enemy out of a fortified village west of Rostov. North of Smolensk Russian troops occupied ‘several places southwest of Velikiye Luke. The Red Air Force carried out smashing air raids yesterday on enemy aerodromes in forward area. It destroyed or damaged 350 German aircraft on the ground or in combat. The Russians lost 24 machines.