GREAT STRUGGLE FOR GAINS BEFORE WINTER

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 188, 11 August 1941, Page 7

GREAT STRUGGLE FOR GAINS BEFORE WINTER

UKRAINE DRIVE

Russians' Efforts To Break

Third Offensive

U.P.A. and ririllsli Wi roles

Rec. 1 P- m

LONDON, Aug. 10

Commentators in London agree that the war on the Russian front ( h« entered its most critical period, f and the trend of the conflict will be t fiPtprmined on the results of the i nresent battle. Military observers ( Hn not underestimate the menace of ; ,hp German southward thrust ; towards Odessa. While they dis- ; "„ n t flamboyant German claims, , thev believe the invaders have made j -ime progress and that anxious days a?eahead for the defenders. The "Dailv Herald" military corre- , indent particularly emphasises the . hreat to the Russian forces if the , rprman offensive succeeds in severing the three railway links between Kiev and Odessa. This commentator takes the view that Marshal , Riiriennv, Soviet Commander in the rkraine is being hard pressed. On ( .he other hand. "The Times" corresnnnrient on the German frontier Stes confidently of the ability of thp Russians to break down the third "pat offensive and to accomplish their objective in establishing a static line for the winter campaign. Soviet Successes in Air The overnight Russian High Command communique on the Moscow wireless states that during yesterday fierce fighting took place in the Prtors of Smolensk, Korosten and Bvelaya Tsarkov. On the other sectors of the front there was no particular change. The Soviet Air Force dealt heavy blows at motorised and mechanised enemy units on the front and behind the lines as well as on ei-remy aerodromes. During Friday the air force destroyed 14 enemv aircraft. Its own losses were 12 planes. According to the latest exact reports 81 enemy aircraft were destroyed on Thursday, not 21 as previously reported. One enemy E-boat was sunk and three others were damaged by bombs. After two nights without raids, Moscow had an alert last night. According to a Moscow communique several groups of enemy ai r craft attempted to raid the city but were repulsed by night fighters and the A.R.P. Several planes broke through and dropped incendiary and explosive bombs, causing fires to some dwellings, which were extinguished. According to preliminary reports, eight enemy planes were brought down without loss to the Soviet AitForce. The number of casualties is not indicated. An official communique referring to Friday night's Russian raid on Berlin says the pilots observed fires and explosions. One Soviet plane which aid not return to its base is being sought. The Red Army newspaper "Red Star," reported very heavy losses to 10 German divisions, in addition to all those previously reported. The newspaper says intercepted reports from the enemy's news service show that the 11th infantry division suffered 20 per cent losses, the 7th division 35 per cent, the 56th, 297 th and 299 th infantry divisions 40 Mr cent, the 11th, 13th, 14th and loth tank divisions 40 per cent, while the losses of the 18th tank division are reported to be enormous. Nazi Encirclement Failures Examining the Nazi military raetnocrs. the Moscow newspaper rnvda says they strive to create " semblance of encirclement with a tK> to tmdermining the morale of ine Russians and creating panic and When this fails in th5 se J?f or they immediately transfer blows to neighbouring sectors, i?® the flanks and trying to tw v. e weak spots for a break uoM, ' Such tactics, meant for a ?nemy, could succeed only in tn il } es where the Germans had pnarw an inadequately armed W?? wllo se troops soon lost their nnrnL on f he appearance of large of tanks, mine-throwers tr(wi^ o^0r relists. When the Nazi .3?; m turn, are threatened with ( ]i,'™ em . en t. it is they who become power and lose their strikin S m pointing out that Rori » s su dden attack placed the JArmy units on the frontier in a fnmo, anf l grave position, says me were encircled, but the greater ♦ho' succeeded in marching out of viptM? Cl mer| t as strong, united, S us units - an example of llaSp Was a orco commanded by Jrc» ♦ neral Galitskv, one of the Na?i £ r eceive the blow from the onlv i n „ co ! umns ' This force not trovpri 9c- tllc attack hut desThl tanks by artillery fire. ni?hto rnai 'ched for days and desttw acro s, s forests and swamps, and German supply columns enem« reat - Ing Panic by attacking &, Units in the rear. General thirdl 7,* managed to bring twoenritviu s effectives out of the iS cl^ nt and to inflict losses c " higher than his own. RUMANIA'S LOSSES heavy war casualties 1 p.m. ANKARA, Aug. 10. Humat r iL ca £ travellers say that 120 nor? has lost 30.000 dead and 450'000 Wouncic 'd from an army of