GERMAN REVERSES

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 March 1942, Page 5

GERMAN REVERSES

ON LAND AND IN AIR ENCIRCLED ARMY DOOMED ? LONDON, March 6. Moscow radio says that the Germans had turned the whole neighbourhood of Yukhnov into a strongly fortified zone extending for 10 miles. Every village was a small fortress and the whole area was covered by the cross-fire of German artillery. The Germans also used troop-carrying aircraft to rush reinforcements to the town. However, the Red Army first smashed the outlying defences and then went on to take the town itself. Soviet airmen are continuing to take a heavy toll of German aeroplanes. Moscow messages report that at one place 30 enemy troop-carriers were bombed just after they had landed, and at another point 20 troop-carriers were set on fire. Moscow reports say that the Red Army is closing in on the encircled German 16th Army at Staraya Russa. Berlin claims that the 16th Army has launched a counter-attack, but the Moscow reports say that this attack comes only from the remnants of the German force.

A wider Russian encircling moyement is reported to be developing north of Lake Ilmen at Novgorod, where the Germans admit another Russian break-through. “In the northern sector of the front south of Leningrad, the Russians have thrown in more tanks against the encircled German 16th Army,” says a Moscow communique. “Several settlements, including two strongly fortified areas have been liberated in the region of Staraya Russa. Although the Germans resisted desperately and made use of their Air Force, the 56tn Regiment, one of the two forming the enemy sth Division, which had been sent to relieve the trapped 16th Army, has been routed.” The Moscow reports say that the Russians are pursuing and annihilating the remainder of the German lota Army. The Germans are using transport aeroplanes on a mass scale to make up for deficiencies in railway and road transport, but the Soviet Air Force is attacking German aerodromes and bringing down dozens of aeroplanes almost daily. _ x . Bitter fighting in the Donets Basin, where Russ Tan attacks are hampering Hitler’s preparations for a Spring offensive, is reported from Moscow. A German broadcast, speaking oi desperate hand-to-hand fighting m the snow, admits that Soviet troops penetrated several miles.

IMPORTANCE OF YUKHNOV. RUGBY, March 6. The capture of Yukhnov, on the road from Malo Yaroslavets to Ros - lavl, announced in the Russian communique last night, is regarded authoritatively in London as of major importance. .Yukhnov is one of tne strongly fortified towns which has been holding up not only the Russian advance in this sector, but also the progress of the forces forming the southern jaw of the pincers closing round Rzhev and Viazma. ( Rec. 11.5 a.m.) LONDON, March 6. ’ The German army which the Rus • sians have encircled at Staraya Russa comprises 19 divisions 16 of whicn are infantry divisions. The Moscow radio, detailing the fighting resulting in the capture cl Yukhnov, says: The Germans converted the whole neighbourhood in - to a strongly fortified zone, including minefields and successive rows of barbed wire, but even assisted oy reinforcements sent hurriedly by air, they were unable to stem the indomitable Russian advance.. Our troops, after smashing the outlying defences, proceeded to storm the town, from which the Germans precipitantly retreated, leaving , large quantities of army war material, and also many dead.

RELIEF OF LENINGRAD. LONDON, March 6. “The Times’s” Stockholm corresponednt says: “The position on the Leningrad front is not developing in favour of the Germans. The latest Russian offensive is largely from the Leningrad garrison. It is impossible to ascertain to what extent the Russians have -relieved, reinforced, or exchanged Leningrad defenders, but there is two-wav traffic across Lake Ladoga ice to Borisovagriva, and thence by railway to Leningrad. It is assumed that a ‘large proportion ol Leningrad is not only receiving supolies, but also exporting, surplus munitions for use elsewhere in Russia. This route across Lake Ladoga is likely to continue till April, before which the Russians hope to throw off. the German encirclement. CENTRAL FRONT. LONDON, March 6. “The Times’s” Stockholm correspondent savs: The battle on the Viaz-ma-Smolensk railway continues fiercely. Russian pressure from the north and south to join forces across the railway is threatening the isolation of Germans in the Viazma and Rjev regions. . German reinforcements at the points have been interrupted by White Russian guerrillas. The Russian pressure at StarayaRussa has not slackened. Russians on the Smolensk front m a battle for an important populated place, wiped out two battalions of infantry. RAID ON MOSCOW. LONDON. March 6. Moscow has had its first air raid for two months. Groups of enemy aeroplanes were dispersed by antiaircraft fire and fighters, and only two or three penetrated the defences. There were some casualties, but the damage is reported to be negligible. CONVOY’S ARRIVAL. LONDON. March 6. Another large important convoy carrying aeroplanes, tanks, guns, and medical stores has reached a North Russian port without loss or damage to a single ship. Steam jets had to be used for half an hour to melt ice on every ship after arrival. Everything aboard the ships was frozen fast. Ice six inches thick had formed on gun barrels.