LITTLE PROGRESS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 6, 18 October 1941, Page 5

LITTLE PROGRESS

THRUST ON MOSCOW SLOWED. FIGHTING AT OUTER DEFENCES. INCREASING TN FEROCITY. (United Press Association—Copyright.) LONDON, Oct. 17. While the battle for Moscow continues with mounting ferocity there has been no news of any substantial progress by the Germans in the last 24 hours. Reports indicate that the Germans are battering at the outer forts of the defences, approximately GO miles from the capital. It is not certain whether the Russian admission that the Germans on Tuesday night penetrated their defences on the central front refers to the northern wing of the movement against Moscow or somewhere nearer the Vyazma-Moscow road, but the Stockholm correspondent of “The Times” says there is no definite evidence that the Russians have yet yielded further ground under pressure from Vyazma or Bryansk, although the Germans claim that their offensive in these areas has gathered new strength from the release of forces by the extinction of large Russian pockets.

Timoshenko Takes a Risk.

It is now practically certain that Marshal Timoshenko was obliged to weaken his men and material defending Kalinin when pressure from Vyazma and Bryansk required him immediately to bring up any possible reinforcements. Taking an obvious risk he succeeded in stemming the tide against his centre, probably hoping that more distant reserves would arrive in time to secure the depleted sector further north. This explains why the Germans have been able to advance rapidly against Kalinin since the week-end.

A German spokesman in Berlin said last night that Moscow was not anywhere near encircled and there was plenty of room for civilians from the city or the army to move eastwards.

Since the Axis claim to have occupied Odessa, there has been little fresh news from the other fronts. The Moscow radio yesterday said the Russians were continuing vigorous coun-ter-attacks on the Leningrad front and had forced the Germans to retreat from a fortified village. Snow is falling in Leningrad, where there is also thick fog. A broadcast talk from Leningrad, relayed to Moscow, said: “Citizens of Moscow, take heart from tis. Hitler in September gave an order to take Leningrad within three days, but for three.weeks we have been attacking. We are driving the Germans from one fortified point after another. The Fascists are pressing hard to Moscow, but they will never see Moscow. Let us double our strength and achieve victory at whatever cost.” A Russian Counter-Attack. A war correspondent of the Russian newspaper “Pravda” says that the German onslaught against Moscow has been slowed down a little. The correspondent also describes a successful Russian counter-attack at Kalinin. He says that more than 100 tanks, supported by aircraft, were thrown into the battle by the Germans and drove a wedge into the defences. The Germans, attempting an encirclement, dropped parachutists, but these were annihilated. Russian infantry and artillery then countdr-attacked, inflicting heavy losses. A message from Washington says that the American Ambassador in Moscow (Mr Laurence A. Steinhardt) and the staff of the Embassy are leaving Moscow for an undisclosed destination in the interior.

Reports are current in Stockholm that the Swedish Minister has already left Moscow.

The Stockholm correspondent of the “Daily Mail” says the entire diplomatic corps in Moscow and also the Russian Foreign Office staff has left the capital. It is believed they are going to Kazan, about 430 .miles due east of Moscow. The diplomatic corps left on the advice of the Russian Foreign Office, indicating that the battle for Moscow will be fought to a finish. The city will not be declared an “open town.”

Moscow’s Store of Supplies,

The Mayor of Moscow told an American journalist who has just arrived in London that great stocks of food and fuel are stored.in the Soviet capital. Even without one additional car load of food or fuel the population could be sustained until the spring.

The journalist added: “I saw some of these stores in warehouses and converted buildings in which there are mountains of potatoes, large bins of wheat and barley, and acres of coal and wood.-. The city will be able to stand a siege for at least six months, even if it is cut off from fresh supplies.

“Moscow is well defended. The whole population seemed to be working on the defences. Almost every tall building has anti-aircraft guns on the roof. Moscow is ready to put up the greatest defence of modern times.”

It is reported without confirmation that the Soviet Government has left Moscow for a city 500 miles to the east, but that M. Stalin remains in Moscow. The midnight communique gave some details of the work of guerilla units in the defence of Moscow. It said that in the. Kalinin area Russian guerillas killed 1000 German soldiers and destroyed munition lorries, bridges and pontoons. An enemy convoy was destroyed in the Orel area.

The Stockholm correspondent of “The Times” says that the fate of Moscow is hanging in the balance as General von Bock’s armies continue their fierce battering against Marshal

Timoshenko’s stubborn defenders, and that the situation is perhaps more critical than ever, but as long as the spirit of Russian troops remains as high as at present, sober observers consider that the chances are still about equal. They recall a similar appearance of German invincibility in the spring of 1918, which collapsed when their opponents persistently resisted and stubbornly refused to recognise the enemy’s invincibility. To this should be added the declaration of “Pravda” war correspondents: “Our men fighting on the central front have one word only, ‘Moscow.’ It rings like a call to determination and unparalleled bravery. Like a pledge, it unites all front-liners.”