FAILURE THUS FAR

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 July 1943, Page 4

FAILURE THUS FAR

POINTS AGAINST ENEMY SET OUT BY CORRESPONDENT. AIR POWER & OTHER DETAILS. (By Telegraph—Press Association- -Copyright) (Received This Day, 12.5 p.m.) LONDON, July 7. Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says three points are outstanding—firstly, the Germans have failed, so far, to establish air supremacy; secondly, they have failed to achieve a major break through; thirdly, the German Tiger tanks have had no startling success. Also the Russian Army, in meeting the impact of the new offensive, has shown itself powerful, resolute and effective. Some ground in the Byelgorod area had to be conceded in face of a great numerical superiority, concentrated in a panzer and Luftwaffe “fist.” However the two townships the Germans managed to take at the cost of a hundred tanks mark no great advance in miles, and don’t seriously weaken the general defence position. Moreover, the Russians, counter-attacking, partially restored the position. The Germans on the Orel-Kursk ffront, having achieved practically nothing yesterday, regrouped today and attacked in great force with tanks heading their assault. The Russian gunfire in this area was terrific. German tanks and infantry, before making contact with the Rus-

sians, were both effectively shelled. The Germans, in an attempt to silence the Russian batteries, threw in a greater force of dive-bombers. A large force of German infantry, headed by tanks, after the failure of frontal attacks, attempted an outflanking movement. This force was itself outflanked and driven into a minefield. It lost 31 tanks and 600 men, whereupon that thrust was abandoned.