Daily Post - 24.02.1943, Síða 4

4
DAILYPOST
Germaos Tbrow Io
22 Dmsions
London, Feb. 23rd.
Moscow messages to-day re-
port that Stalin’s troops are
marking the 25th anniversary
of the founding of the Red Ar-
my by gaining further ground
on all the five main sectors of
the fighting front, and in spite
of stiffening enemy resistance.
The Germans are said to have
been strengthened by 22 divisi-
ons, but just where they have
been put into action is not stat-
ed, although correspondents be
lieve it to be in the sectors
where Hitler’s troops are in the
biggest danger, i. e. west of
Kharkov and in the Donbas re-
gion.
MOPPING UP
If it is true that the German
reserves have been sent to
strengthen the enemy positions
west of Kharkov, they do not
seem to have been able to hold
up the Red Army’s advance
here, as latest reports place it
some 70 miles west of Khar-
kov. In the rear of these forces,
Soviet units are mopping up
enemy pockets. North of Khar-
kov the Russians are also re-
ported to have advanced bet-
ween 60 and 70 miles west of
the Kharkov-Kursk railway.
ENEMY CONCENTRATION
The fiercest fighting accord-
ing to to-d^y’s Moscow com-
muniqué, is taking place north
of Stalino, where the enemy’s
entire strength is concentrat-
ed on keeping open the escape
gap from the Donetz Basin. —
There is no reliable news how
near our Allies have got to Sta-
lino, but dispatches speak of con
tinued progress.
In the north also, the Red
Army has drawn closer to Orel,
and is reported to have widen-
ed the wedge to the south of
the city.
GERMAN FOOTHOLD RE-
DUCED
At the other end of the
front, in the Kuban region, the
Russians have reduced still
further the German foothold by
the capture of severrl more
strategic places along ” ?ir line
of advance, and latc reports
announce our Allies t( ^e only
Allies Check Nazis
In Tnnisia
London, February 23rd.
The latest news from Allied
HQ in N.-Africa is that Allied
forces in Central Tunisia have
beaten off a number of heavy
enemy tank and infantry at-
tacks north and north-west of
the Kasserine Pass.
Tunisian messages to-day re-
port that after twenty-four
hours of heavy fighting, Allied
troops have succeeded in chec-
king the Axis panzer thrust
through the Kasserine Pass
just four miles short of Thala.
ENEMY LOSSES HEAVY
Bitter fighting went on all
yesterday in this area, and mes
sages from Allied HQ report
heavy enemy losses. Our men
are also said to have taken a
number of prisoners.
TANK THRUST CHECKED
The second enemy thrust —
that towards Tebessa — em-
ploying at least 40 tanks, was
successfully checked a couple
of days ago by American
troops. Farther north, behind
the Ousseltie ridge, British
forces have held all enemy at-
tempts at advancing and have
inflected considerable losses. —
Axis attacks 25 miles west of
Thala, have also been held.
Correspondents comment on
the importance to the enemy of
capturing Thala. This place is
only seven miles from the
railway from Tebessa to Pont
du Fahs, and is the gateway to
the plateau behind the Allied
line.
/ ■
Ist AND 8th ARMIES IN
TOUCH
The only news of the 8th
Army to-day is of artillery ex-
changes with the enemy in the
area between Medenine and
Mareth village. War corre-
spondents point out, however,
that it is no secret any longer
that the British Eighth and
First Armies are in touch with
each other, although separated
by a distance of 100 miles —
through the work of the Roy-
al Corps of Signallers.
20 miles from the naval base of
Novorossiisk.
Messages from Moscow cor-
respondents speak of renewed
Russian offensive activities in
the Rzhev area.
Americaa Plans
For fireece
New York, 23rd Feb.
Columbia University is pre-
paring plans for the recon-
struction of historic Greek cit-
ies and towns destroyed by the
Germans and Italians. It is pro
posed to preserve tl' uins for
their historical and arcaeologi-
cal value. The site o£ the mod-
ern city in the area will be
moved elsewhere.
Candia, in Crete, which was
levelled by German dive bomb-
ers, would, according to the
plans, be moved six and one
half kilometers to the locality
of Sudabay, and would benefit
through the construction of a
commercial harbor. The origi-
nal site, one of the most fa-
mous in Cretan history, would
be preserved as an historical
J
monument.
$50 Americans
Drowned
The United States Navy De-
partment has announced that
more than 850 persons are miss
ing or dead after the sinking
of two medium sized Ameri-
can merchant ships. The vic-
tims included civilians, and
army and navy personnel.
Both ships, according to the
Navy announcements, were
sunk by torpedoes from Ger-
man submarines early in Febr.
Civilian passengers, merchant
crew members, Army, Navy,
Marine and Coast Guard per-
sonnel were included among
those missing.
Axis Losses In Med
London, February 23.
It was revealed here to-day
by the First Lord of Admiral-
ty, Mr. A. V. Alexander, that
since January Ist 55 Axis
ships have been totally de-
stroyed in the Mediterranean,
including supply ships, trans-
ports, destroyers and other
warships.
It was further revealed by
Mr. Alexander that in the pe-
riod from Ist of Sept. 1942 to
the lst of January 1943, 146
enemy vessels were sunk, to-
talling 338,000 tons, and 114
damaged.
Georgia Carroll represents Jan-
uary in the luscious- come-to-
life calender for the new mo-
vie. “Du Barry Was A Lady.”
Artist Varga spent three
months selecting twelve show
girls to portray the various
months.
Russia
(Continued from page 1.)
MAISKY’S WARNING
M. Maisky, Soviet Ambassa-
dor to London, speaking here
to-day, echoed M. Stalin’s
warning against premature op-
timism. “Nothing”, he said, “is
more dangerous than the illu-
sion that victory is just around
the corner.”
On Sale
Next Week
“Folktales From Iceland
And Other Countries”
by
M. H. Scargill.
Contains a condensation of
one of Iceland’s most fam-
ous Sagas, together with
translations and stories from
other lands.
An ideal 1 gift for your
friends at home — after you
have read it yourself!
London, Febr. 23rd.
Gen. MacArthur’s HQ an-
nounce that Allied bombers
pounded the aerodrome at Bu-
in last night for the fifth night
running. Big fires were start-
ed among dispersed enemy air-
craft on the ground.