Evening star., 1942-10-08
Prussiun Veterans
Diverted on Front
Above StoIin9rod
BY EDDY GILMORE,

MOSCOW, Oct. Bred Army
tank forces breaking into the
fortified German left flank
northwest of Stalingrad were
reported today to have forced
the enemy to divert veteran
Prussian units, the elite OF his
army, from other fronts in an
effort to stop the push aimed at
relieving the siege of the Volga
city,
The Russians, however, main
tanned the initiative on the steppes
even as the Germans poured more
and more men and machines into the
holocaust. The latest official report
said German attacks were beaten off
both to the northwest as well as
inside the ruined city.
During the past three days, dis
patches said. the Germans lost thou
sands of men, hundreds of trucks
and armored cars and scores of
tanks without compensating gains.
Nazis Fear Coming Winter.
Documents taken from newly
captured prisoners emphasized again
the Importance the Germans attach
to the Stalingrad offensive, indicat-
ing even that the Hitler command
hoped to win the entire war in the
east by the occupation of the Volga
metropolis.
But now. according to Pravda,
Moscow Communist newspaper
prisoners no longer talk of the end
of the war but only express fear that
the coming winter will be fatal to
Germany with her forces insufficient
to cover the broad fronts in Russia.
Forces under Maj. Gen. Alexei
Rodintzev were given a great share
Of the credit for turning the tide of
battle in the northwest suburbs,
where by surprise night assault the
Germans had driven along ditch
periously close to the Volga, at the
rear of Stalingrad.
Taken under cross fire, the Ger
mans finally were rolled back.
The army newspaper Red Star re-
ported the Russians were tightening
their hold in recaptured streets and
consolidating their positions.
Northeast Suburb Penetrated.
Defense mortar batteries were
credited with knocking out eight
tanks and decimating a company of
German infantry. Soviet artillery
men were said to have wiped out a
battalion of infantry. silenced six
opposing batteries and destroyed
8 tanks and 10 trucks.
Red Star disclosed the Germans
had penetrated the industrial Sec
ton lying in the northeast suburbs
Of Stalingrad by a recent night at
tack along a ditch leading to the
west bank of the Volga, but said
counterattacks by a guard division
had restored Russian positions.
The sector includes the huge
Stain tank and tractor factory, the
Red october metal works and other
plants. The factories are surround
ed by workers homes and are con-
nected with Stalingrad itself by a
broad highway.
Red Defense Strengthened.
Red Star said the Russians
stopped the Germans in the workers
quarter and threw them back and
the invaders had failed to make a
further advance. Now they are up
against strengthened Red Army de-
fenses.
CA Rome radio broadcast re-
corded in London said Soviet
forces hammering the Axis flank
in the relief offensive across the
Don-Volga corridor had bridged
the Don with pontoons and, de-
spite aerial strafing, regained
footholds on the streams west
bank)
Opening of the forty-fifth day of
the siege of Stalingrad drew from
the Soviet Information Bureau the
fiat declaration:
Our troops are holding their
positions.
During the day we destroyed
about 500 Hitlerites. 10 German
tanks. 18 trucks, S guns and 6 NOR
tar batteries"
Increased casualties were pic
tured as the only result of sporadic
German ,counterattacks against the
pressure of Marshal Timoshenko' S
shock divisions northwest of Stalin-
grad.
Four Attacks Hurled Back.
Red Army rifle and machine gun
fire wiped out more than $50 Ger
man officers and men in the repulse
(See RUSSIA, Page A-4.)