ROLLED BACK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 August 1943, Page 4

ROLLED BACK

GERMANS ON THE BRYANSK

FRONT

IN SPITE OF DESPERATE COUNTER-ATTACKS.

BITTER STRUGGLE IN KHARKOV AREA.

(By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) (Received This Day, 11.45 a.m.) LONDON, August 17. Russian forces have driven to within 15 miles of the German central front base of Bryansk. Despite desperate German counter-attacks, the Red Arm)' continues to advance and the battle is expected to move swiftly to the outskirts of Bryansk.

In the Ukraine, heavy battles are being fought as the Germans, freshly reinforced, make a determined bid iO hold Kharkov. The “Red Star” reports that the Germans have flung in considerable reserves of crack troops on one sector of the Kharkov front and that the tensest battles are raging. The Germans are attempting to improve their positions by counter-attacks with infantry, supported by groups of 40 tanks and 50 planes. The Moscow radio's military commentator, Colonel Vassilev, says the Germans in the Kharkov area are hastiljr preparing new defence lines and are bringing up reinforcements in an unbroken stream, especially tanks and artillery units. The enemy, however, has failed to stem the Red Army’s onslaughts. Hard fighting continues in all sectors of the Kharkov front. It is particularly bitter in the city area and along the Kharkov-Poltava Railway.

STREET BATTLES

THE RUSSIAN CAPTURE OF ZHIZDRA. AREA STREWN WITH GERMAN CORPSES. (Received This Day, 12.15 p.m.) LONDON, August 17. Describing the capture of Zhizdra, west of. Karachev, the Moscow radio says the Russians broke into the town from north and south. Street battles raged throughout the night and the approaches to the town are strewn with German corpses. The Russian advance continues, with the Germans suffering heavy losses. They are burning villages, blowing up bridges and destroying roads. The “Red Star” says the capture of Zhizdra liquidates the so-called German Zhizdra salient, which the enemy held and fortified for two years. It was covered by an exceptionally deep system of defences. The German news agency reports that the Russians, flinging in eleven rifle divisions, made breaches in the German lines in the Izyum area. The news agency claimed that the Germans south-west of Byelgorod have encircled and are wiping out a large Russian force comprising two infantry divisions, two tank brigades and one motorised brigade.