TWO-MILE ADVANCE

Evening Star, Issue 24007, 4 October 1941, Page 10

TWO-MILE ADVANCE

COUNTER-ATTACKS IN LENINGRAD FRONT LONDON, October 4. Tie latest Moscow communique speaks of Russian advances of from one to two miles as the result of counterattacks in the approaches to Leningrad. It claims that in this sector 9,500 German officers and men were killed by one Soviet unit during September. An advance of 12J miles in the central [front is also claimed. Moscow states that Russian workers Jbehind the lines are pouring out bombers at a great rate. Many factories doubled their output during the past A claim to have sunk a German submarine in the Baltic is made by a Russian warship. In the Ukraine the Germans state jlhey have advanced towards Kharkov, end the Russians admit that terrific tank battles are raging in this sector. [They claim to have further consolidated positions around Odessa at the expense of the Germans and Rumanians. SPEEDY TRAVELLING GENERAL WAVELL ON TOUR HEALTH OF MIDDLE EAST TROOPS GOOD (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Oct. 2. Giving a broadcast war commentary ton Thursday, Major-general R. O. Colons said: “The way in which aircraft annihilate space to-day fascinates me. My staff has a reputation for accuracy, but I must own that when one of them last week handed me a telephone message from the War Office saying that Sir Archibald Wavell would be visiting us next day I told him to check it back as I thought there must be some mistake. I knew Wavell had been in Persia and Egypt, hut thought he had) gone back to India. Instead of which toe just flew on Home. Anyway, he Came for over an hour, and held us spellbound while he described all that happened in the Middle East from the [time the Germans advanced on Benghazi to. the surrender of Genera] Dentz in Syria. As hectic and desperate a six months 1 should think as any British general has had to face. I iwas delighted to find him so very Jittle marked by the terrific strain. Kind a week after he was talking to Ms Wavell was in Bagdad talking to fthe Russian commander there.” Major-general Collins referred to the medical arrangements in the Middle East. “ Those of you who have relatives out there will, I know, be relieved to hear that the general health of the troops has been very, good in spite of hardships, dust, flies, and the beat of summer. Cases of typhoid have been almost negligible, while dysentery casualties, even in May, the worst month, were surprisingly light considering the conditions. Credit for this satisfactory state of affairs, must go, first, to the medical staff, and, secondly, to the- troops, whose discipline and interest in preventive measures are essential factors. Although [the sandstorm season is round again, gt is nice to think that it is getting Cooler there now. Incidentally, there is good reason to believe that the Axis partners are having abnormal dysentery and typhoid casualties. They also seem to have had a lot of trouble owing to the rations not being suited either to the country or to the climate. Good [though he may be at mechanical maintenance, the Hun has a lot to learn yet about management in hot climates.’’

WOUNDED PRISONERS AGNLO-GERMAN EXCHANGE AGREEMENT CHANNEL TRUCE ARRANGED LONDON Oct. 3. Although, it was originally arranged ’ that the Channel truce to allow an exchange of British and German 'wounded should last some hours during the week-end, the ‘ Daily Mail ’ reveals that the “ cease fire ” will last from the morning of October 3 until night of October 6. During that period no shot will be fired on or above the Channel, and the ports on either side will be ablaze with lights. Meanwhile normally-lit hospital ships will pass between the shores bearing 1,500 seriously wounded Germans to a French port, and bringing home 1,500 incapacitated British troops who had ibeen in German hands since Dunkirk. Neither bombers nor fighters will trespass on this area, and the big guns will oremain silent. Two British hospital ships which are >3iow waiting at a south coast port for jthe German wounded to arrive by (train at the quayside will be brightly flit, and as the Germans are made comJjfortable aboard the scene will be dupli'cated at a French port. The safety liccrridor across the Channel will be lit (up by searchlights. The British are expected to arrive on the evening of October 4 or the morning of October 5 by the same ships. Each man will eend a telegram to his next-of-kin on arrival. Supplies of , food, tobacco, (cigarettes, pipes, matches, and blankets, and also a bottle of beer, will o,wai’t the British troops.

PLAN POSTPONED LONDON, October 4. A Berlin message stated that there 3had been a' nostponement in the plans to exchange British and German prisoners of war. This exchange was to have taken effect from to-morrow. In a British port a hospital ship, lit up and marked with the Red Cross, was ready to leave with 97 German prisoners of ■war on board. When the news of the postponement was received the lights were suddenly put out. No reason is given for the postponement. JAPANESE SUBMARINE SUNK IN COLLISION (Roc. 11.55 a.m.) TOKIO, Oct. 3. Submarine 161 sank in collision with a surface craft during manoeuvres off Kyushu. The navy announced that seme members of the crew were saved and that rescue efforts were proceeding*.