TANKS AND PLANES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 9, 22 October 1941, Page 5

TANKS AND PLANES.

LOSSES INFLICTED ON ENEMY. HEAVY FIGHTING IN CENTRE (Rec. 9.3& a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 21. A Russian supplementary communique states: “On Sunday 23 German planes were destroyed. Our losses were seven planes. One of our air squadrons, operating on one of sectors of the Orel front on Sunday, destroyed 23 enemy tanks, six armoured cars, 31 motor-cars. On the same day the squadron bombed successfully an enemy aerodrome and destroyed 20 Ger 1 - man planes on the ground.” The communique then refers to the heroism of the Soviet tank crews operating on the Orel front, who were Inflicting heavy losses on the enemy. It says: “One tank crew .during Sunday killed one company of infantry soldiers. On Saturday one Soviet tank attacked 14 German tanks which were in the village of Ilkovo, and destroyed nine.” ..

The Moscow radio says that reports from the Central front are that fighting is very intensive. “The enemy is constantly throwing big units and many tanks into the fighting, but the Soviet troops' are offering stubborn resistance. The Red Army succeeded in stopping the advance of the enemy in several sectors. In some sectors our troops even 'launched successful counter-attacks.’ The radio then states that after heavy activity by Soviet artillery one unit attacked the enemy and then entered the town “K,” occupied by Germans, after heavy street fighting. In another' sector the Germans threw in 70 tanks. The fighting lasted until nightfall, when the enemy had been repulsed. His losses were 11 tanks and many soldiers killed. “The Soviet Air Force is constantly dealing blows on the enemy. In one sector of the Central front the Red Air Force during five days destroyed 108 enemy tanks, 189 motor-cars, six fuel tanks, two heavy tanks, two heavy guns, and two anti-aircraft batteries.” British Official Wireless. A Russian communique says: “Fighting is going on along the whole front, being particularly fierce in the Kalinin, Mozhaisk, Malo Yaroslavets sectors. Our troops in the Orel area withstood the enemy’s advance and inflicted heavy losses. The Soviet tank units in several days’ heavy fighting destroyed scores of tanks and guns, besides motor-lorries that were carrying fuel and infantry.”

The Moscow radio reports a fierce street battle in one town between large numbers of tanks and infantry. The Germans were driven out of the town and forced to retreat across the river. A German break-through at another point resulted in a battle that lasted through the night. The Russians counter-attacked and checked the thrust.

The Berlin radio claims that the Germans captured the town of Stalin, also that the Russians evacuated a huge extent of territory north of the Sea of Azov.