Daily Post - 02.02.1943, Síða 1

• ■ •
V
• m ■
JICELAND'S ONLY ENGLISH
DAILY
ON SALE 8 A.M. EVERY DAY
EXCEPT MONDAY
DAILY
POST
IV
20
Tuesday, Febr., 2nd, 1943
Field Marshal Paulus and 16
Generals Taken At Stalingrad
6th Army Was 330,000 Strong.
7 OivisioMS Trapped At Voronésh.
Red Army Closes In On Krasnodar.
London, February lst.
A special communiqué from Moscow late last night announced the destruction of the
■entire German Sixth army at Stalingrad, and the capture of Field Marshal Paulus, as
well as that of 15 Axis Generals, and many senior officers. At the same time the wholesale
destruction of a very large German force west of Voronezh has begun, and the German
Caucasian army is increasingly threatened.
To-day’s communiqué deals,
not unnaturally, mainly with
the destruction of the German
Sixth Army, encircled at Stal-
ingrad since November, and the
capture of its commander, —
Field Marshal Paulus, the first
Field Marshal to be captured
during this war. Its liquidation
is now completed, except for
a small number, which was
last night still holding out in
a solitary building in the
southern part of the city.
PRISONERS AND BOOTY
The number of prisoners
taken in this area during the
last few days has greatly in-
creased, bringing the total sin-
ce January 16th up to 46,000.
Since the general offensive be-
gan, the booty captured by our
Allies includes 744 aircraft,
1,517 tanks, 6,523 guns,
60,000 lorries, 30 armoured
trains, and 230 dumps, as well
as enormous quantities of oth-
er equipment.
HOW 330,000 WERE DE-
STROYED
It is now known that the
trapped German army numb-
ered 330,000 men, or 120,000
more than was estimated by
the Russians in their communi
ques. That this is right has been
confirmed by the German gen-
-erals taken prisoner. From
November 23rd to January 10,
some 140,000 of these troops
had been accounted for by
systematic bombardment,
hunger, frostbite, exhaustion
and disease, or taken prisoner.
When the Russians issued their
ultimatum of surrender to Gen.
Paulus, some 190,000 Germans
were left, and when that offer
was rejected in compliance
with an order from Hitler, the
Soviet forces began the final
annihilation of the enemy
troops, ending so disastrously
for the enemy last night.
NEW TRAPS CLOSING
ROUND GERMANS
Hitler Is to-day faced with
other disasters on the eastern
front. A very large German
force, trapped south of Voron-
ezh, is reported to be getting
the same treatment as that at
Stalingrad, while the Axis for-
ces in the Caucasus, particular-
ly the force at Krasnodar, is
in increasing danger. Our Alli-
es are now moving on Krasno-
dar from three directions, and
one Soviet column is reported
to have advanced to within 25
miles of the town. This may
force the Germans to withdraw
from the Caucasus by the way
of the Kerch Straits. It is not
known for certain just how
many divisions the Germans
and their satellites have had in
the Caucasus region, south of
the mountain range, but they
are believed to have been at
least 24.
KHARKOV-KURSK OFFEN-
SIVE
North of Rostov and west of
Voronezh, the Russians are
still driving on towards Kursk
and Kharkov. Yesterday morn-
ing our Allies were only 40
miles west of Kursk and 60 mil-
es from Kharkov. More inhabi-
ted places have been reoccu-
pied by the Red Army, and
Nazi prisoners are streaming
in. During last night alone,
1,700 enemy troops were roun
ded up.
NAZI DISASTER AT VORO-
NEZH
The latest Moscow messag-
es to-day report that the fate
of the German and Rumanian
force encircled west of Voron-
ezh is sealed. It is steadily be-
ing reduced, and hundreds and
even thousands are killed and
captured daily.
The messages also state
that the Russian offensive now
continues on six fighting
fronts, including the Leningrad
area.
In the Black Sea, four Ger-
man transports were sunk over
the week-end by Soviet air-
craft.
Burma Raids.
London, February lst.
In Burma, formations of R.
A. F. Hurricanes have attack-
Price 50 aurar.
Solomons Sea
Battle?
London, February lst.
Tokyo to-day reports
great air attacks during the
week-end on an Allied fleet,
consisting of many battle-
s hips, crusiers and other
warships, off the southem
end of the Solomons. There
is no confirmation of this
from Allied sources.
R.A.F. Caused
Danish Strike.
London, February lst.
The Copenhagen Radio yest-
erday announced that 450
workers at- the Atlas Diesel-
engine Works had gone on
strike after the visit of the
British Mosquitos on Friday.
The workers refused to take
up work again unless promised
that airraid shelters would be
built at the works. The factory
owners are reported to have ac-
ceded to the demand.
Hambnrg Raided
London, February lst.
R.A.F. bombers carried out a
heavy raid on Hamburg on Sat-
urday night.
This was the last of nearly
twenty-four hours’ uninter-
rupted raids on German towns,
Berlin having had two, and
Emden one daylight raid on
Saturday.
In the attack on Hamburg a
number of 4,000 and 8,000
pounders were dropped on the
city, besides thousands of in-
cendiaries. Large fires were
left burning. Five of our plan-
es failed to return.
ed Japanese transports on the
Maygiu river with good results
Once again the enemy failed to
bring down a single aircraft,
nor did tliey reply with any
counter-attacks.