GERMAN’ OFFENSIVE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 June 1943, Page 4

GERMAN’ OFFENSIVE

ON THE EASTERN FRONT DELAYED BY SOVIET AIR ONSLAUGHT POSTPONEMENT AT LEAST ENFORCED. BOTH SIDES ATTACKING BASES & TRANSPORT. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) (Received This Day. Noon). LONDON. June 2. “The reason that the German summer offensive, which was generally expected to be launched in May, has thus far failed to materialise lies undoubtedly in the terrific Russian air offensive during the vital first fortnight in May, when the German Command was ready to strike,” says Reuter’s Moscow correspondent. “Since the beginning of April,” he adds, “the Germans have been massing huge Quantities of tanks, planes and troops on key fronts, including the Orel, Bryansk, Kharkov, Byelgorod and Lisichansk, Voroshilovgrad and Taganrog sectors, but Russian air attacks last month destroyed practically half the petrol the Germans had brought up to feed the Luftwaffe squadrons destined to take part in the May offensive. Hitler has been forced to postpone his originally-scheduled zero hour by the strength, timeliness and accuracy of the Soviet air onslaught. The Germans were obliged to turn back and try to fill up the holes torn in their offensive preparations. _ These gaps were partly made good during the second half of May. which explains the resumption of the Soviet air offensive, with smashing attacks during the past few days against vital communication centres and bases. A grim struggle is now going on for air supremacy over the front. The enemy is also doing his utmost to paralyse Soviet communications and important centres to the rear."

NAZI STORY OF THE KUBAN BATTLE. PENETRATION OF MAIN LINE ADMITTED. (Received This Day, 12.35 p.m.) LONDON, June 8. The Moscow radio states that despite the comparative lull, a state of tension prevails on the entire Russian front. Russian artillery is hammering the enemy on the front west of Moscow and also in the Lisichansk area, on the Donetz, preventing the Germans erecting fortifications and concentrating infantry.

The “Red Star” warns that the air war is daily growing' fiercer. The Kuban battle is still in the local preparation stage and has not yet become a general offensive against the Germans. The Berlin radio reports that the third phase of the great battle of the Kuban bridgehead began on June 1. Numerous Soviet howitzer and trenchmortar batteries on the previous night fox - several hours pounded the German and Rumanian bridgeheads on the Eastern front. “This intense barrage,” the Berlin radio states, “was aimed at softening up our lines, particularly west of Krymskaya, preparatory to an assault. Adjacent northern sectors were also subjected to extremely heavy shelling. A great new battle began at the crack of dawn. The Russians had brought up five new _ tank brigades and several rifle divisions. The bulk of these tanks formed the first offensive wave, which rolled up in close formation. The German defenders allowed the tanks to approach within a few hundred yards and then dealt a devastating blow with heavy weapons.” The Berlin radio claims that a majority of the tanks were destroyed or immobilised, but admits that one group of enemy armoured cars succeeded in pressing beyond the German main line to the west.

123 AIRCRAFT LOST BY THE GERMANS. IN RAID ON KURSK. LONDON, June 2. In a massed air raid on the Russian town of Kursk, the Germans sent in more than 500 planes. Of these the Russians shot down 123. The German air forces attacking Kursk made five attacks. The bombs did some damage. Russian fighters tore into the enemy and first reports indicate that they shot down 93 of them, while anti-aircraft guns accounted fox - 30 more, making a total of. 123. Moscow reports a loss of 30 Russian aircraft. More big air battles have taken place in the Leningrad area, where Russian fighters shot down 22 enemy planes today and ground guns three more. Last night Russian bombers made n raid on Smolensk and two other objectives. Big fires were started at all three places.-