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VOL. 49—NO. 42 _ __r_WILMINGTON, N. C., THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 1943 --ESTABLISHED 1867 “
OPA Bans All Pleasure
Driving On East Coast
COMMERCIAL OIL CUT
Non-Residential Users Of
Fuel Get 25 Per Cent
Reduction
IS EFFECTIVE TODAY
Both Orders Become Op
tative At Once; To
Affect Many
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6. —
(/p^ __ OPA today banned
pleasure driving in the East
and slashed the amount of
fuel oil that schools, stores,
theaters and other non-resi
dential establishments may
consume in the 17-state area.
Many such buildings face
the possibility of curtailing
their hours or days of opera
tions under the order. OPA
left it to the school boards,
store operators and others in
charge of oil - consuming
buildings to determine how
they will meet the reduced
fuel rations.
Amusement Places Hit
Amusement places were especi
ally hard hit. The order forbid
ding pleasure driving in the East
specifically banned motoring to
theaters as well as race tracks.
With this order certain to cut
down amusement centers’ patron
age and the fuel oil order threat
ening to make theaters and night
c.ubs cold beyond comfort, con
tinued operation of some of the
establishments seemed in doubt.
Use of fuel oil in non-residen
tial establishments in the east was
curtailed 25 per cent below pres
ent rations, giving them about 45
per cent of normal requirements.
Under the edict aganist pleas
ure driving, effective at noon to
morrow, any motorist driving to
amusement centers or to “pure
ly social engagements” faces the
cancellation of all or part of his
gasoline ration.
' OPA called upon state, county
and local law enforcement agen
cies to carry out the new' regula
tion in 17 eastern states and the
District of Columbia where the
oil-gasoline shortage is acute.
OPA prohibited all pleasure mo
(Continued on Page Three; Col. 6)
MANY« /ERTING
FURNACES IN CITY
Local Ration Board Says
Public Responding To
OPA Request
Home-owners of Wilmington
have responded well to the call
for conversion of fuel oil heating
officials of the New Hanover War
systems into coal-burning devices,
Price and Rationing Board de
clared Wednesday night.
However, business firms have
been slow to indicate plans of con
version. On Wednesday the board
conic! report that only one barber
shop and one dry cleaning plant
had taken steps to replace fuel
burning plans with coal furnaces.
Ration board heads pointed to
an urgent te'e^ram relayed from
Washington through the OPA of
fice in Raleigh to the local or
ganization:
“In view of increasingly serious
fuel oil supply situation, it is im
perative that buildings other than
private dwellings be compelled to
convert or lose their fuel oil ra
tions. Only most conclusive proof
'Continued on Page Two; Col. 6)
WEATHER
FORECAST
, North CAROLINA: Slightly higher
temperature today.
(Eastern Siandard Time)
By U. S. Weather Bureau)
Meteorological data for the 24 hours
ending 7 :30 p. m., yesterday.
Temperature
1:30 a.m., 31; 7::30 a. m., 29; 1-30 p.
m.. 45; 7:30 p. m., 42. Maximum 48;
minimum, 28; mean, 38; normal, 47.
Humidity
1:30 a. m., 63; 7:30 a. m., 52; 1:30 p,
m. 26; 7:30 p. m., 51.
Precipitation
Total for the 24 hours ending 7 -30 p,
r 0.00 inches.
Total since the first of the month
ft.00 inches.
Tides For Today
f rom the Tide Tables published by
' S. Coast and Geodetic Survey.)
Wilmington _ 10:35a o :04c
10:49p 5:41*
Masonboro Inlet —_ 8:21a 1:55c
8:37a 2:38*
Moore’s Inlet_ 8:26a 2:00*
8:42p 2:43*
New Topsail Inlet_ 8:31a 3:05£
•Elmore’s) _ 8:47p 2:48*
(All times Eastern Standard)
Sunrise, 7:19 a. m.; sunset. 5:18 p. m.
moonrise, 8:09a; moonset, 6:56p.
(Continued on Page Three; Col. 3)
Congress Meets In Mo
For United War Actri
1
F.D.R. Will Deliver
Annual Address To
Congressmen Today
WASHINGTON, Jan. 7—(/P)—
President Roosevelt will ap
pear before a joint session of
the Senate and House at 12:30
P. M., Eastern War Time, to
morrow to deliver his annual
address.
The address will be broad
cast.
It was believed that, among
other things, the president
would touch upon Russia's
stand against the Nazis, the
swift conversion of American
industry to war purposes, and
the contribution it has made
in unprecedented production of
war materiel.
FORMER REVENUE
COLLECTOR HELD
W. W. Pearsall, Jr., Bound
Over To Superior
Court Here
After a preliminary hearing be
fore Recorder H. Winfield Smith
here Wednesday morning, William
W. Pearsall, Jr., former deputy
collector here for the state de
partment of revenue, was bound
over to the January term of su
perior court here under $500 bond
on charges of embezzlement.
Pearsall, who was represented
by Attorney David Sinclair, plead
ed not guilty to the charge, brought
by Assistant State Revenue Com
missioner Ben Eaton of Raleigh,
that he converted $4Qp of the de
partment's funds to his personal
use during the month of Decern-,
ber.
He was freed under $500 bond
to await trial in superior court
which convenes here next Monday.
Assistant Revenue Commission
er Eaton was the chief witness
put on the stand for the state by
Solicitor J. A McNort.on
Eaton testified that the deputy
collectors of the department were
required to submit daily reports
of collections. »
Pearsall’s daily report for De
cember 7. he said, did not reach
the department offices in Raleigh
until December 16 and the night
before the report arrived he re
ceived a long-distance telephone
call at his home in Raleigh from
Fearsall
Pearsall, Eaton testified, told
him that his December 7 collec
tions had totalled $811.87 and that
he had mailed in the December 7
report with checks for $411.87 and
was retaining S400.
"The state is due me that much
money and I feel right about keep
! ing it,” Eaton quoted the former
deputy collector as declaring.
The assistant commissioner ex
hibited the December 7 report,
showing collections of $811.87 from
i taxpayers here, attached to which
I was a note in Pearsall’s handwrit
ing which declared that he (Pear
sall! had deliberately submitted
weekly expense accounts showing
mileage on an average of $5 a
week under that which he actually
travelled for the department be
tween April. 1941, and November,
1942. Th» note stated that $400 was
being withheld to cover it.
At conferences with State Com
missioner Edwin Gill and others,
Eaton continued, Pearsall con
tended that he felt he had acted
rightfully Pearsall, he said, after
some questioning said he had ap
plied the $400 to personal debts
and had about $4 left.
Eaton declared that Pearsall fi
nally asked Commissioner Gill
what he thought would be the right
thing for him (Pearsall! to do and.
acting on the advice of Gill and
(Continued on Page Two; Col. 4)
RAYBURN LEAF5'
Both Parties
Handle Domest,
sues This Year
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6.— —'The
78th Congress—dubbed the “vic
tory Congress” from the rostrum
of the House—met today in a mood
for solemn united action to win
the war and for sharp insistence
upon writing its own laws on do
mestic issues, regardless of the
wishes of the White House.
These two determinations dom
inated a brief preliminary session
of speechmaking and of organiza
tion for the tragically vital period
which lies ahead. They were ex
pressed by Republican spokesmen,
conscious of their greatly reinfor
ced strength. And they came from
the Democratic side of the politi
cal barrier as well.
Last fall’s election, with its wide
Republican gains, was reflected
at the outset in the closest vote
for party control of the House in
the last decade. The Democrats
won. By 217 to 205, they relected
Speaker Sam Raybur.n
Immediately, the tension of the
situation was broken. Republicans
and Democrats alike jumped to
their feet in a stormy and pro
longed ovation. And when Rep.
Martin of Massachusetts, the de- j
feated Republican nominee for
Speaker, said it was particularly
appropriate that this honor should
go to Rayburn on his 61st birth
day, the pandemonium was renew
ed.
Someone among the Republicans
started chanting “Happy Birthday
to You.” It was quickly picked up
by others and in a moment, the
whole House was singing, while
Rayburn stood on the dais, smil
ing, but nearly overcome with em
barrassment and emotion.
This was in vivid contrast with
a later development. Rayburn, ac
cepting the speakership, referred
to President Roosevelt as the
greatest “war leader” that could
have been found1 for the present
emergency. The Dmocrats shout
ed and hand-clapped their noisy
approval. The big Republican
membership sat, stony silent, and
bored.
The Senate, always the more se
date of the two bodies, meanwhile
solemnly went through its historic
ritual of organization. In groups
of four, new Senators were escort
(Continued on Page Two; Col. 7)
N. C. S0L0NS0PEN
1943 LEGISLATURE
Receive Bill Today Estab
lish Optional Nine
Months School Term
RALEIGH. Jan. 6. — Wl— The
North Carolina legislature, open
ing a wartime session for the first
time since 1885, received a bill
today to establish a statewide op
tional nine-months school term.
The measure, introduced by Rep.
Gass of Forsyth after the assem
blv convened and near - perfect
harmony, was sent to the educa
tion committee. It would lengthen
the present eight-months term to
180 days but would allow the state
and counts boards of education to
determine whether the longer term
would be advisable.
That clause apparently was in
cluded to meet the wishes of the
agricultural sections which are be
moaning a lack of labor. Where
funds are not used for the extra
month, they would revert to th^
state treasurer to be used by he
public schools the following year.
The controlling boards would be
(Continued on Page Two; Col. 1)
Bank Clearings In City
$140,000,000 Over 1941
Reflecting tremendous industrial
development, increased population,
and greater military activity in
this area, bank clearings for the
City of Wilmington during the year
were $40,000,000 in excess of 1941
figures, D. M. Darden, secretary
of the Wilmington clearing house
association, announced Wednesday.
1942 bank clearing totals reach
ed $362,603,183.62.
In December, alone, local banks
handled $31,516,092.99, topping the
clearings for the same month in
1941 by nearly $7,500,000, Mr.
Darden said.
“In view of the fact that our
bank personnel has been taxed to
the limit by the current volume
of clearings, Wilmington bank ac
tivities in the past year were phe
nomenal,” Mr. Darden pointed out.
“I should like to say,” he con
tinued, ‘‘that we naturally have
for individual customers with the
efficiency and speed permitted in
other years of less business, a sit
uation we greatly regret, but one
that cannot be helped.’
The clearing house association
secretary estimated that growth of
the North Carolina Shipbuilding
{Continued on'page Three; Col. 2)
Gets 42 Prisoners
Corporal Murray Katzen of New
Pork, an American Army Banger,
md typical American soldier, prov
ed himself a hero in the invasion
of French North Africa. In one ac
tion he uoped out a sniper’s ma
chine gun nest, and captured for
ty-two prisoners in another, single
handed. Katzen has been recom
mended for a decoration.
Chinese Forces Slay
500 Japanese During
Encounter At Lihuang
CHUNGKING, Jan. 6—(fP)—
Chinese forces killed 500 Japa
nese soldiers in street fight
ing at Lihuang, western Anh
wei province, and beat back
the enemy in other scattered
action during the past four
days, tonight’s Chinese com
munique reported.
Japanese rushed reinforce
ments into Lihuang and the
Chinese withdrew from the
city, but continued to fight
from the suburbs.
In another skirmish, a
Japanese force was driven back
after attacking Kingkou in the
Canton area, the communique
added. The enemy also was
reported thrown back at Yuho
in the southern Honan pro
vince by a counterattacking
Chinese force that at first had
met stiff resistance.
COMMUNITY CHEST7
SETS NEW RECORD
Recent Drive Here Marks
National High For
Oversubscription
Receipt/ from the 1942 Commun
ity and War chest drive reached
x total slightly In excess of $110,
300, $60,000 above the $50,000 goal
set for Wilmington and a new na
tional record for chest oversubscrip
tions, the official auditor’s report
pn the drive, made public at a
meeting of the board of directors
pf the drive Tuesday afternoon, re
pealed.
All 1942 officers of the Commun
ity and War chest, headed by Har
ds Newman, president, were re
jected by the board of directors
ruesday.
The audit also revealed that the
txpenses of the entire drive, ap
proximately four per cent of the
:otal receipts or approximately $4,
100, also set a national low for ex
penses in chest drives.
Both records are based on figures
submitted to the National associa
.ion of War and Community chests
ind councils, George Steafns,
jxecutive secretary of the drive,
said Wednesday.
The previous record for oversub
scription had been held by Newton.
Ohio, with an oversubscription of
17.2 per cent, easily surpassed by
Wilmington’s 220 per cent.
The board of directors unani^ious
(Continued on Page Two; Col. 1)
BIG RUSSIAN DRIVE CLUTCHES
21 MORE TOWNS IN CAUCASUS;
BRITISH TROOPS SIEZE JEBEL
BEGIN NEW ATTACK
Drive Intended To Oust
Enemy From Ground
Near Mateur
AXIS CRUISER BOMBED
Tunisian Port Of Sousse
Also Raided By Al
lied Airmen
ALLIED HEADQUAR
TERS IN NORTH AFRICA,
Jan. 6. — (JP) — Veteran
British First Army troops
captured Jebel Azzag and
nearby points in an attack
launched yesterday to drive
the Axis enemy from high
ground dominating Allied po
sitions along a road about 15
miles west of Mateur, the
Allied command announced
tonight.
It was the first real fight
ing in two weeks in north
Tunisia.
In the air, a headquarters
spokesman said, Fortress
bombers scored hits or near
misses on a cruiser leaving
the Tunisian harbor of Sfax
and left the Sfax power sta
tion in flames.
Pounding Axis With Energy
(The British and Americans were
pounding the Axis with relentless
energy from both ends of the Med
iterranean, reports showed.
(The Admiralty announced in Lon
don that British submarines had de
stroyed a large enemy troop trans
port and. supply .ship; hit and prob
ably sunk two other vessels in the
Mediterranean and bombarded the
Italian and Axis occupied Greek
coast.
(The British and Americans an
nounced in Cairo that their bombers
blasted the Tunisian port of Sousse
yesterday. The Americans said their
heavy bombers put all their explo
sives within the target in a day
light raid and bursts were observed
on the commercial phosphate and
southern quays. The British merely
announced that hits were scored on
quays and buildings.)
Mateur is 25 miles southwest of
the naval base of Bizerte.
(Reuters, Bri'ish news agency,
said that a British force of Com
mandos and parachutists won the
battle over some of the best Ger
man troops in a three-hour fight.)
RAF Hurricane bombers and
fighters supported the British on
the ground. An RAF spokesman said
that in battles yesterday four Ger
man Focke-Wulf 190 fighters and
one Junkers S7 dive bomber were
downed at the cost of one plane.
In addition to the Fortress attack
on Sfax, American Martuder bomb
ers struck at a Nazi airdrome a
Karouan, about miles southwest
of Sousse.
-V
NATIONALS ARRIVE
ROME (From Italian Broadcasts).
Jan. 6. — CP) — The Italian liners
Vulcania and Saturnia, carryin Ital
ian civilians being repatriated from
East Africt, have arrived at an
Italian port, the Stefani news agen
cy announced today.
French West Africa Head
To Support Allied Cause
LONDON, Jan. 6.—CP)—1The gov
ernor-general of French West Afri
ca, Pierre Boisson of once-suspect
Dakar, has given assurance that
there would be no recession of his
support to the Allies and that he
favors alliance of the Giraud for
ces with the Fighting French, who
attacked his capital with British
Boisson’s new pledge of support
to the United Nations, including
the use of his fleet, air and sea
ports and his superb Senegalese
soldiers as fast as they can be
armed, coincided with the arrival
in Dakar of Gen. Henri Honor
Giraud on an inspection tour of
several days.
As to the question of union with
the Fighting French of General
Charles de Gaulle, who were beat
en off in their 1940 attack on Dakar,
Boisson said:
“In the highest interests of
France I consider a rapproche
ment to be most desirable. How
ever, the problem is not limited
only to West Africa. It rests upon
General Giraud to treat it in its
entirety.”
The statement was given in an
interview at Dakar to the Asso
ciated Press correspondent, Josepji
Morton, who was assured by Bois
son that French West Africa never
had served the Axis, as long had
been rumored.
“There never has been a single
Axis submarine to enter the port
or refuel off Dakar,” Boisson said.
“There never has been a German
or Italian commission here.”
At the Aigerir ’ headquarters of
General Giraud’s high commission
an authoritative source said—ap
parently on Boisson’s assurances
to Giraud—that the French fleet
at Dakar would continue at the
disposal of the Allies and manned
by French sailors despite the as
sassination of Adm. Jean Darlan.
General Giraud arrived at Da
kar by plane with his staff to
confer with Boisson and the U. S.
mission of Vice-Adm. William A.
Glassford, Jr., and to inspect mili
tary and naval works. They paid
the usual tribute to the Senegalese
who died in the last war.
Giraud still has not offered to
take up de Gaulle’s invitation for
a meeting on French African soil,
but one source who should know
said the union was distinctly pos
sible.
“It is a question of method rath
cr Ilia a of principle,” he said. |
American Warships Batter
Japanese Bases At Munda
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6.-In a
daring foray into the Japanese
dominated middle Solomons, an
American force of surface war
ships has shelled and battered the
enemy air base and installations
at Munda, New Guinea island.
The operation, which was car
ried out during the early morning
iarkness yesterday, was reported
n a Navy communique today
which told also of an air attack,
with uncertain results, on a heavy
Japanese cruiser, and the bomb
ng of an enemy transport some
iOO miles north of Guadalcanal is
land.
In addition, the communique re
lated that 84 Japanese were killed
in mopping up operations in the
Mount Austen sector of Guadal
canal. Mount Austen, a 1,514-foot
peak southwest of the American
neld airfield, was wrested from
the Japanese January 4.
In all the operations, seven Jap
anese planes definitely were shot
down and four others were prob
ably destroyed. Two United States
planes were lost.
In Aleutian waters, meanwhile,
Mitchell medium bombers (North
American P-25s) sank an enemy
cargo shir 110 miles northeast of
Kiska. This action took place yes
terday, the Navy announced. To
day a Liberator bomber (Consoli
dated B-24) scored one direct and
two near-hits on an enemy ship
385 miles southwest of Kiska.
The size of the surface task
force which bombarded the Munda
airfield was not indicated. Ordi
narily, however, such a Navy des
ignation for a surface force means
it includes at least one cruiser
and several destroyers.
As the force was withdrawing,
it was attacked by enemy dive
bombers. Four American Wildcats
—fighter planes of the type used
by the Navy and Marine Corps
—engaged the Japanese planes,
shot down four certainly and pos
sibly two o'’-~rs. The remaining
Jap planes turned tail and fled.
It wrs not, clear whether the Amer
ican fighters were land - based,
were catapulted from cruisers, or
were carrier-borne. They could
have operaetd from the Guadal
canal airfield, which is 180 miles
from Munda.
Flying Fortresses attacked the
Japanese cruiser at Buin, Bou
gainville island They were accom
panied by Lockheed Lightning
fighters which got into a battle
with 25 Japanese planes, both
Zeros and float - type biplanes.'
Three of the enemy were shot
down and two others probably
downed. The two American planes
were lost in this action.
ALLIES BOMBARD
JAPANESE AT LAE
Four Gun Positions And
Grounded Enemy Bom
ber Destroyed
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
AUSTRALIA, Thursday, Jan. 7
~(JP)—Medium bombers and at
tack planes of the southwest Paci
fic command yesterday (Wednes
day) swept over the Japanese air
drome at Lae in New Guinea, de
stroying four anti-aircraft gun
positions and a grounded bomber.
Meanwhile, Allied ground forces
pushed preparations for the Cinai
assault on the remaining Jap foot
hold in northeastern New Guinea
—in the Sanananda area.
Except for an attack on the
Gasmata airdrome on New Brit
ain island by a Flying Fortress,
General Douglas MacArthur’s
heavy bombers were out of the
operations picture yesterday while
B 25s and fighters carried on the
:ob of softening enemy positions
aiong the Sanananda trail with
bombing and strafing attacks.
The communique reported con
cerning the raid on Lae, a point
rfien bombed because of its proxi
mity to the Papua battle field:
“Our medium bombers and at
tack planes bombed and strafed
the airdrome and supply instal
lations. A twin-engined bomber
caught on the ground was set
afire and four anti-aircraft posi
tions were destroyed by direct
hits.”
Other Allied bombers paid an
other visit to the airdrome at Gas
mata, on New Britain island.
RABAUL SMASHED
MELBOURNE, Jan. &— (JP) >
Heavy bombers of the Allied air
forces under General Douglas
MacArthur’s command have
smashed again at massed enemy
shipping in Rabaul narDor, leav
ing eight vessels afire or sinking
and destroying a ninth with a di
rect hit by a half-ton bomb, it
was officially announced today.
Probably a tenth vessel was de
stroyed, an Allied headquarters
communique reported on the heeis
(Continued on Page Three; Col. 5)
10,000 War Prisoners
Now Interned By Japs
LONDON, Jan. 6 —(/P)— A
British War Office statement
said tonight that 10,000 pri
soners of war—half of them
Americans — are interned in
Japan.
It said a Red Cross repre
sentative in Tokyo had visit
ed three prison camps and re
ported conditions “compara
tively satisfactory” although
some prisoners were suffer
ing from tropical diseases.
The prisoners, the statement
continued, have been forced to
adapt themselves to the Japa
nese diet, consisting largely
of rice, although there are
some bread, fish and vege
tables. It said the prisoners
get very little meat.
WAR GROUP TALKS
OF NEW AIR ROUTE
Pacific Council Discusses
Strengthening Sup
. __^s
WASHINGTON. Jan. 6. — (® —
The Pacific War Council, meet
ing with President Roosevelt at
the White House, discussed today
the possibility of strengthening
supply lines by opening up new air
routes across the Pacific.
The British ambassador to the
United States, Lord Halifax, dis
closed that the matter had been
discussed, but gave no hint where
any additional routes might be lo
cated.
Richard G. Casey, British min
ister of state in Cairo, attended
the meeting and reviewed opera
tions in the Libyan campaign and
the difficulties encountered there.
Halifax said Casey was in this
country primarily on problems of
supply, and that the principal
problem of the British Eighth
Army was one of obtaining ade
quate amounts of such essentials
as gas. food and ammunition.
Halifax said he never made pro
phecies, but that he was “quite
,Continued on Page Three; Col. 4)
U. S. Admiral Scorns Jap
Service Man’s Ability
AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Jan.'
6.—(#!—Admiral William F. Halsey, j
Jr., United Nations commander
in-chief in the South Pacific, who
recently predicted the complete de
feat of the Axis in 1943, has a low
estimate of the Japanese service
man.
In an interview in New Zealand,
the United States admiral stood
confidently on his prediction of Al
lied victory this year and added:
“When we first started out, I
held one of our men equal to
three Japanese. I now increase
this to 20.
“They are not supermen, al
though they try to make us be- j
lieve they are. They are just low
monkeys. I say monkeys because
I cannot say what I would like
to call them.”
Of reported atrocities by the
Japanese in combat in tte Solo
mons, Halsey said they occur usu
ally when Americans are trying
to aid Japanese who are either
wounded or seem wounded.
“The way the Japanese meets
this kindness is with a hand gre
nade,” he said. “That is quite in
line with their apish or beastal in
(Continued on Page Three; Col. 2)i
2 STATIONS TAKEN
Reds Claim New Pushes
Have Cost Germans
330,150 Men
FOE NOW RETREATING
Nazis Running From So
viet Forces To Avoid
Entrapment
LONDON, Thursday, Jan.
7.—(/P) — Russia announced
the capture of 21 towns and
two more railway stations
yesterday in the middle Don
and Caucasus offensives and
said that these drives have
cost the Nazis more than
330,150 dead and captured
since November 19.
Two communiques broad
cast by Moscow and heard by
the Soviet monitor here list
ed one town as Marinsk,
which may be a town of that
name on the lower Don about
25 miles west of Tsimlyansk,
which the Russians said fell
to their armies on Tuesday.
Marinsk is about 92 miles
from Rostov, Caucasian gate
way whose fall would trap
hundreds of thousands of
German troops in the Cauca
sus.
One Area Not Located
Another town was listed as Kran
Konstantinovskaya, which the So
viet monitor here did not locate.
Many of the newly-won points
were in the Nalchik-Prokhladnenskl
sector deep in the Caucasus where
the Germans were reported retreat
ing- hastily northwestward toward
Rostov lest they be tapped by the
Russian columns striking westward
from Stalingrad and southward
along the Moscow-Rostov railway
in the middle Don area.
The capture of these cites was re
ported in the regular midnight
communique. Before it s -s issued
a special communique said th*t
26,500 Germans had been killed
from January 1 to January 5 on
the Stalingrad front, and the regu
lar bulletin added approximately 1,
050 more Nazi casualties during
yesterday’s operations to thaa fig
ure.
The Russians admitted the Ger
mans were counter-attacking heav
ily in the middle Don and south
west of Stalingrad, but did not ac
knowledge any sustained resistance
in the Caucasus battle zone some
360 miles southeast of Rostov. This
bolstered the belief of British mili
tary quarters that the Germans
were withdrawing in that area with
out putting up an organized fight
there.
The tremendous quantities of cap
tured equipment listed by the Rus
sians in the action southwest of
Stalingrad was seen as further evi
dence of a Nazi withdrawal so pre
cipilate that huge dumps of valua
ble stores fell intact into Russian
hands.
Red army troops were "conduct
ing engagements for the annihila
tion of an encircled enemy garri
son” on the middle Don front, the
midnight communique said.
This phrase has been used for
several days by the Russians to
describe action apparently along the
Moscow-Rostov railway in the Mil
lerovo area. The Russian columns
pushing southward there have met
heavy resistance from fresh Ger
man reserves thrown into the strug
gle.
One Russian tank unit was said
to have driven the Germans from
an unidentified town, killing 300
Nazis and capturing much equip
ment.
West of Stalingrad, presumably
in the Don-Volga river pocket where
the Russians are. trying to annihi
late the remnants of 22 Nazi divis
ions which they say they have en
circled there, the communique ac
knowledged "stubborn resistance."
but said Soviet troops had advanced
to overrun a series of enemy trench
es. Approximately 400 Germans
were killed in this battle, the com
munique said, and Red airmen de
stroyed three grounded Nazi trans
port planes and shot down nine
other aircraft in combat.
JNUTICtiJ
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