Evening star., 1943-04-01
Reds Step Up
War s Tempo,
Take Big Base
Drive Goes On After
Nozi Stronghold East
Of Kerch Strait Falls
BY EDDY GILMORE,

AAA5 wiz "OAoV AAlA0o Va u CLIO
portation difficulties, the Red
Army struggled today to in
crease the tempo of it's offensive
despite the bad weather.
In the Kuban Valley of the west
ern Causasus the Soviet troops
drove on from Anastasevskaya one
Of the Germans last good -sizeC
bases on the astern side of the
Kerch Strait. The Soviet midnight
communique announced its capture
yesterday. The strait is but A
miles from the town.
There was evidence along other
sectors that the Russians, by theil
great effort at quick consolidation
Of their gains, were beginning te
give the Germans fresh worries
The Nazi commanders had beer
confident that mud and slush re.
sulting from the spring thaw woulc
halt all operations. Now they were
beginning to wonder if their wishes
would come true.
CThe German communique said
today the Germans had re-
pulsed Russian attacks at the
Kuban bridgehead and that only
local engagements were being
fought in other sectors of the
eastern frontD
Germans Counterattack.
The midday communique sale
that on the western front, after ar.
tillery duels, the Russians cleared
the Germans from some positions
although there was no materia,
change in the front before Smo-
lensk.
The Germans threw numerous
sharp counterattacks at the Soviet
troops, but gained no objectives, it
was said. The Germans now were
reported fighting from a good depth
Of defenses where they were we'll
armed and fully manned, and boast
ing superior numbers in some Sec
tors.
There was some evidence that they
were piling in reserves as they
strained every effort to halt the
Russian advance toward Smolensk
The Red Army had to use roads
across the marshlands because the
Germans had wrecked the railway
as they moved back. The Germans
on the other hand, still had rail
lines supplying the front from
Smolensk.
The Germans continued sharp but
not big scale attacks in narrow Sec
tors along the Northern Donets
River, and failed to make any cross
ings or to drive the Russians from
the footholds they still had on the
western bank, it was declared.
More Activity West of Rostov.
West of Rostov activity increased
as warmer spring weather made the
area better for military operations,
and Soviet big guns battered the
German positions.
The Germans attempted violently
to retake the Kuban sector regaineo
by the Red Army. Led by dive bomb.
ers, 200 rapid-fire riflemen advanced
on the approaches of a settlement
A Tass dispatch declared the Ger.
mans shelled and bombed the sec.
tor every 10 or Is minutes for sew.
eral hours, and then the riflemer
moXed in. They were repulsed
They launched a second attack; it
too, ended in failure.
Ana ct coucHouo ic ,,oi1a,
from road leading South to Novo.
rossisk, the former Russian nava
base on the Black Sea coast anc
principal supply center now fol
what is left of the Nazi Caucasu.
army. If the Russians can SEIZE
the road junction they could trap 6
sizable German force in that area
Another Soviet force previously
had been reported in Abinskaya
only 20 miles northeast Of Novo.
roSsiSk.
Red Bombers Score Successes.
The Tass dispatch said Russian
Stormovik bombers were obtain.
ing good results in recent battles ir
the area, with IS German troop anc
supply trucks and a number of in.
fantry units destroyed.
Russian aviation also was making
itself felt again in the sector west o1
Rostov, the midday war bulletin as.
serting that an enemy ammunition
dump was destroyed by bombers anc
that IL German planes were shot
down and more damaged by Rec
Army airmen and anti-aircraft bat
teries.
A Pravda dispatch from the Volk.
hov front said that spring was earl,
in that sector. too, and that the snow
had melted in the Siniavsky swamp.
and forests, where the Volkho,
front troops merged with those or
the Leningrad front.
The midnight communique alse
touched briefly on the progress ol
Marshal Semeon Timoshenko,.
forces trying to recapture Starays
Russa. South of Lake linen, II
said, a German attack was repulset
with the killing Of 800 Of the enemy
Ut was in this region that the
German radio yesterday claimed
the Russians had lost 1000 dead
and captured in five weeks and
that only local engagements now
were being fought.)
Reds Gain West Of Donets.
A late dispatch from the northern
Donets region said the Red Arm,
had improved Its positions on thu
western bank after the German!
were repulsed In Q series Of sharr
attacks.