FRONT SURVEYED

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 287, 1 September 1941, Page 7

FRONT SURVEYED

Possible Enemy Gain South Of Gomel LIMITED USE FOR TALLINN (British Official Wireless.) (Received August 31, 7 p.m.) RUGBY,’August 30. The Russian midday communique reports fierce fighting w’ith the enemy on the whole front. The Germans have made no fresh claim, and it is felt here that it is obvious that the Germans have made no further rapid advance. The result of the terrific fighting south of Gomel appears still undecided, though it is possible that the Germans may have made some progress in an effort to cut off the Kiev salient and endanger the Russian lines of communication east of the Dnieper in the regions between Dnepropetrovsk and Kiev.

Although there is no confirmation that the Germans have taken Tallinn, circumstantial reports are being received of the burning of the Estonian capital and of bitter street fighting. It is pointed out here that though the German possession of Tallinn would make it possible for them to protect their minefield in the Gulf of Finland at its entrance to the Baltic by means of coastal batteries, this is not likely to hamper the freedom of action of the Russian warships based on Kronstadt and Leningrad, which are still the most important naval bases. Hanko Still Useful.

The fact that the Russians still hold Hanko on the opposite side of the gulf obviously makes the German occupation of Tallinn only partially effective.

As Tallinn was taken by the Russians'only in 1939, there has been little time to improve its ship repair facilities, which were very small, and the main naval advantage to the Germans would be its use as a base for E-boats and other light forces. Its value as a base for attack on Kronstadt is so slight as to make a direct sea attack on the island fortress expensive and impracticable, while the air bases in Finland are still nearer than Tallinn if the Nazis wish to make a divebombing offensive.