LIVES OF GERMANS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20618, 20 November 1941, Page 5

LIVES OF GERMANS

TOLL IN RUSSIA CENTRAL FRONT FIGHT DONETZ AREA BATTLE (Elec. Tel. Copyright— United Press Assn.) (Reed. Nov. 20, 11.30 a.m.) LONDON,. Nov. 19. , The continuance of heavy fighting in the central area of the Russian front is reported in London, where it is considered the Germans are still searching for a weak spot in this important sector. It appears also that the Germans are renewing the offensive in the Donetz industrial region. A Soviet communique of to-day does not specify the areas “along the whole front” in which the greatest activity is taking place. A supplement states: “In one sector of the central front one of our units destroyed 65 enemy tanks and armoured cars and 35 guns. Our troops in another sector destroyed 56 enemy guns and killed about 2500 men.” The Moscow radio reports particularly fierce fighting around Tula, and states that the Germans were dislodged from several strongly defended positions with the destruction of vast fighting equipment and also the loss of 6000 officers and mem The Moscow radio reports that in attempts by the Germans to cross the Volga, scores of field guns and machine-guns were destroyed in addition to tanks and armoured cars. German Attacks Beaten Off

A Soviet communique issued late last night reported fighting during the day on the whole front, being particularly severe in the Kalinin and Volokolamsk regions and on one sector of the south-western front. "Our troops are beating off the enemy attacks and destroying their equipment and wiping out their man-power,” continued the communique. “On Monday 18 German aircraft were destroyed. We lost four. An air unit operating over the western and southern fronts destroyed 10 German tanks, over 60 army lorries, over 60 cars, four field guns, and about one infantry battalion. “On Sunday and Monday our troops destroyed 16 tanks, 30 lorries and 10 army cars and captured six guns, besides destroying other guns. “During the night of Monday to Tuesday and the day of Tuesday several groups of German aircraft tried to bomb Moscow. In air battles and from anti-aircraft fire 13 aircraft were shot down over the approaches to the city. We lost two. Several enemy aircraft dropped high explosives on non-military objectives. There were a small number of casualties.” Among the exploits of Soviet antitank men described in the communique is the story of how an anti-tank unit allowed a German tank column to approach and then set eight of the ■tanks on fire. The Vichy radio to-day announced that Rostov was now “completely isolated.”