VERY HEAVY LOSSES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 283, 11 September 1941, Page 5

VERY HEAVY LOSSES.

THE GERMANS AT LENINGRAD.

COUNTER-ATTACK AT GOMEL. (Roc. D. 45 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 10. A survey of the situation in the Ger-man-Russian fighting shows, according to authoritative circles, that the fighting round Leningrad continues to be very severe and that the Germans have sustained very heavy casualties. Further south, ‘at Elnya, the Russians made ,a successful counter-attack with substantial gain of ground. It is not known whether the counter-attack is still continuing, but it is undoubted proof'of the power of the Russian army to hit hack at the Germans. There is also news of a. counter-at-tack in the Gomel sector, probably on a smaller scale, which met with some success. The scale is such that unless it is continued it cannot be expected td hold up further German movement in this direction. There are no further details of activity in the Dnieper Bend. Fighting continues and attempts have been made by the Germans to cross the river at different, places, but there is no information that they have attained their object. Unofficial expert opinion agrees that the Germans might now make two further efforts. First,, they might use parachute troops to surprise the Leningrad defences. It is recalled that although the Liege defences in the western campaign are known to be exceedingly strong the Germans reduced them by first taking Port Emael by a surprise parachute attack. Again, British troops at Crete were at times surprised and surrounded by parachute troops being suddenly dropped at dawn and carrying out a speedy movement before, help could be given them. The second, the comparative lull in ,tho Gomel sector might mean that the Germans are reorganising ready for a push to the south to try and cut off Marshal Budenny’s forces and the opening of such a move might begin very soon. —British Official Wireless.