CRIMEA BATTLE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20601, 31 October 1941, Page 5

CRIMEA BATTLE

HEAVY PRESSURE GERMAN CLAIMS THOUSANDS OF CAPTIVES (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Piesa Assn.) (Reed. Oct. 31, 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, Aug. 30.

The Stockholm correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says that the vehemence of the German excuses for the slowness of the advance is the best possible proof that no decisive breach has yet been made in the. Russian defences on the central front.

The correspondent adds that while the situation appears to be slightly brighter on the Moscow front, it must be admitted that the Russians are having a bad time in the south where it is obvious that Marshal Timoshenko will be unable to halt the German advance this side of the Don River, although he already has achieved miracles in delaying the action, every second of which gives him the chance to reorganise, regroup and reinforce his armies further east.

“Nine divisions, or nearly 200,000 men, of whom many are veterans who were evacuated from Odessa, have manned the reserve line on the extreme southern end of the Perekop Isthmus with the village of Osyun as the centre,” says the Daily Telegraph’s Stockholm correspondent, who adds: “Even if the Germans break through it will be an uphill business, because the whole mountainous area along the south coast is a great armed camp. Big Force For Defence

“It is estimated that the Russians have between 500,000 and 750,000 troops for the defence of the Crimea, including marines from the Black Sea Fleet, The southern half of the Crimea is studded with airfields and the strong Black Sea Fleet Air Arm is ready to take over the defence of Sebastopol exclusively.” A German communique issued in Berlin to-day states: “The German forces are relentlessly pursuing the enemy in the Crimea Peninsula and took several thousand prisoners. German and Allied troops in the pursuit of the enemy in the Donetz basin reached the upper course of the Don on a broad front. Our heavy artillery is attacking objectives at Leningrad and offensive operations are continuing between Lake limen and Lake Lodoga.” Authoritative military quarters in London point out that so far there is no confirmation or denial from the Soviet side of the German claim to have broken through the Crimean defences. If the claim should prove correct, however, and it means the Germans have penetrated through the Perekop Isthmus into the Crimea proper, the whole position of the battle would have changed and become more serious, since the Germans would be able to fight on a much wider front.