RENEWAL LIKELY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20603, 3 November 1941, Page 6

RENEWAL LIKELY

NAZI ONSLAUGHT

MASSING OF RESERVES STALIN STAYS IN CITY (E!oo. Tfl. Copyright—-United Press Assn.) (Reccl. Nov. 3, 1.50 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 2. The Germans are reported to be 1 bringing up reserves on the Moscow front, and a new offensive is expected there very soon. This probably is due to an improvement in the weather, which recently has become colder, thus making the new snow Jess impassable for mechanical vehicles. The four weeks of the German offensive against Moscow have “achieved small results and the Germans have suffered great losses," in the words of the Soviet spokesman. M. Lozovsky, at Kuibyshev. He said that the great concentrations of tanks launched on October 2 had now been checked in the vicinity of Volokolamsk. Mojaisk, Maloyaroslavets, Tula and Orel, while in some sectors the Russians were counter-attacking. The capital was preparing for the worst. Streets were being barricaded. Tank obstacles had been erected. Germans Paying- Heavily On the southern front the Germans were paying heavily for each forward step. The advance between Taganrog and Rostov seemed to have been stopped, but fierce fighting continued by night there as well as in the Crimea. There is no comment from the Russian side on the German claim to have reached the Jaila mountains in the Crimea and to have captured Simferopol.

Press messages from Kuibyshev state that M. Kalinin, the chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, has joined M. Molotov and other members of the Government there, but M. Stalin still remains in Moscow.

Compulsory military training for all male residents in Kuibyshev has been introduced, along with other measures to strengthen the wartime organisation of this seat of part of the Government as well as the entire hinterland. Asserting that the German drive against Moscow is slackening, the Izvestia says that for the third day there has been a comparative lull. The enemy at one point launched pn offensive, but was badly mauled. In a battle extending over six days, a German infantry division lost over GOO men. The division twice received reinforcements. Yet in several battalions only 100 men were left. Two infantry regiments lost 80 per cent of their effectives. Morale Falling OtT The Izvestia adds that in view of their serious losses and increasing difficulties, the morale of the German army is falling off. The Moscow radio claims that the German offensive on Volokolamsk has been brought to a standstill. The Russians have consolidated strategi-cally-favourable positions. The Red Star’s correspondent at Tula says terrific fighting is still going on. The Germans concentrated large forces, staking everything t.o force a way through. The onslaught shows no signs of weakening, despite the enormous losses. After attacks throughout the day, which the Russians repulsed, the Germans attacked at night, threatening the flanks and forcing the Russians to retreat to new positions. Fighting was resumed early in the morning. The main attacks were beaten back, but 13 German tanks broke through to the Tula road. Factory workers rushed out from the town and destroyed the tanks with anti-tank rifles.

A German communique claims that German and Italian troops have broken through the enemy resistance in the Donetz basin and occupied further industrial districts. The Luftwaffe is said to be attacking Sebastopol day and night. It is reported from Helsinki that the Finns captured Kondopoga.