Huns Still Held In Moscow Struggle

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 280, 26 November 1941, Page 7

Huns Still Held In Moscow Struggle

BRITISH TANKS USED

Russians Throw Back Enemy Panzers In Ukraine Battle

(United Press Association. —Copyright.—Rec. 1 p.m.) LONDON, November 25. The Germans* attempt to apply their pincers tactic? Moscow have so far failed, says the Moscow radio. Nine <. of the new offensive have passed, but the Germans have n~. succeeded in reaching anywhere near the city's approaches. The newspaper Pravda, summing up the general situation, states that the Germans in the direction of Klin, north-west of Moscow, succeeded in pressing back the Soviet troops slightly in exceedingly violent engagements. Red Army troops in the Volokalamsk direction beat off enemy attacks and launched counterattacks. In some sectors the defenders retired to new lines better for defence. The Russian forces beat off a number of enemy attacks in the Mojaisk direction. A German attempt to turn the Soviet flank was repulsed with heavy losses by artillery fire. The lengthy lull in the Maloyaroslavets and Naryfominsk directions was broken on Monday by violent gunfire, the Germans intensively shelling the Soviet advanced lines of the main defences. The Red Star, Soviet military journal, reports that violent street fighting is going on at Tikhvin, east of Leningrad. Russian artillery is shelling enemy trenches and destroying German guns and mine throwers installed in invaded towns and stone houses. The Germans are rushing up reinforcements and doing their utmost to beat off the Russians in view of the junction's great importance. The Germans on Monday threw in over a battalion, supported by tanks, but met with devastating fire and were forced to retreat, leaving the ground littered with dead. The Russians followed up and broke into the south-western section of Tikhvin, where the battle continues. The newspaper Izvestia says Russian counter-attacks eastwards of Novgorod are directed against the enemy's front and rear. The Russians are following up their successful advance which began on November 10 and have captured an important village. Heavy Enemy Losses In South The Izvestia adds that the Russians on the Leningrad front are firmly entrenched on the southern bank of the River "N" in lines recaptured from the enemy, who fruitlessly counter-attacked. The fighting continues day and night. The Izvestia claims that during combats westwards of Rostov, near the estuary of the Don, the enemy retreated over 37 miles in the main direction, while on some sectors the Russians pressed them back 62 miles. The enemy suffered enormous losses and part of von Kleist s panzer group was smashed. The enemy, realising the strength of the Red Army's onslaught, is now hurriedly transferring fresh troops from several other directions to the scene of the fighting. The Russian advance is continuing, . . j Lozovsky, Soviet spokesman, stated that Cossacks par- !! 2!P ate in Russian advance westwards of Rostov, and added: The Germans received a severe blow there." M. Lozovsky said he was fully confident that the German offensive against Moscow would fail. The British United Press Kuibyshev correspondent reports ™ at * he British tanks have been in action for the first time on the Moscow front, where they are winning high praise. A Soviet tank commander said small units of British tanks wiped out two enemy battalions and mortar nests, and also repulsed German attacks against two villages. He added that the British tank guns pierced even the heavy German tanks.