“EQUAL TERMS”

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20621, 24 November 1941, Page 7

“EQUAL TERMS”

MOSCOW BATTLE NAZIS’ FEROCITY RED ARMY'S COUNTERS CONFIDENCE GROWING !Elec. To!. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Nov. 22, 2.15 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 21. The latest lighting on the Moscow front indicates that Marshal Zhukov has now taken the measure of the Germans and the Germans and Russians are meeting on approximately equal terms on the Kalinin-Tula arc. This is the view of the Stockholm correspondent ol' The Times who says that the German efforts on both wings were ferocious throughout Wednesday, but the position yesterday was largely restored, though the Germans apparently still hold a few extra square miles south-east of Tula which was gained in Wednesday’s tank onslaught.

The main fighting zone on the northern half of the Moscow front remains where it was a fortnight ago in the vicinity of Volokalamsk. There are signs that owing to hurried and inadequate preparations the Germans are unable to maintain the pace set at the beginning of the week for which reason the present operations must be considered local similar to those that Moscow has previously experienced.

Nipped in the Bud

The fact that Marshal Zhukov was able to nip these attempts in the bud indicates that the Germans’ long communications and other preoccupations allowed the Russians to catch up with reinforcements and concentrate on strengthening and deepening the defences, especially against attacks on the flanks around Kalinin and Tula.

The Germans are expected to launch further attacks, but few now doubt Moscow’s ability to withstand all onslaughts throughout the long grand opera season which opened in Moscow almost as usual.

According to the Berlin correspondent of the Associated Press of Great Britain, the Germans say that the Russians east of Leningrad are fighting desperately to keep possession of the southern shore of. Lake Ladoga. A decisive action is developing on which will depend the maintenance of Leningrad’s communications with the rest of Russia.

A Swedish report from Helsinki reports that German artillery mounted on railway trucks are now in position shelling Kandalaksha. Fighting on this front is extremely heavy. All Attacks Repulsed

Bitter fighting is reported by the Tass agency on a number of sectors on the Moscow front since the Germans launched their offensive on Tuesday night. It is claimed that all attacks had been beaten off with heavy losses.

The Tass agency states that the Germans employed eight divisions, consisting of four tank, three infantry and one S.S. division, in the Volokalamsk area, where fighting is still in progress. The Germans left 30 tanks and 500 dead soldiers before one village. In the Tula battle they employed 150 tanks, of which they lost 50.

The Berlin officials claim that M. Molotov's son has been captured on the Russian front.

The Stockholm correspondent of The Times reports that the mixed Axis forces are showing greater activity in attempting to reach the Donetz Basin in the vicinity of Voroshilovgrad. This is designed to Support the envelopment of Rostov or to prepare for an attempt to cross the Don higher up. Fighting Strength Restored

Fighting here and nearer Rostov suggests that Marshal Timoshenko has managed to restore a great measure of Marshal Budenny’s army’s cohesion and fighting strength. The Rostov sector remains the most vital point on the whole front, and the Germans are expected to hurl everything available against it for some time to come. If Rostov holds, this part of the German offensive will definitely be stemmed, because progress from the Crimea is scarcely feasible without co-operation from north of the Sea of Azov across the Don.

The Baltic States’ hospitals are already treating numerous German patients with frozen feet, and many hospitals in Poland are filled with such cases. The Germans are reducing man-power in the front lines by withdrawing men to the real". The Russian position regarding reserves is greatly improved, .as Marshal Budenny’s and Marshal Voroshilov’s organising of new armies is progressing impressively.

A Helsinki message says that Finland has lost 24 merchantmen of a total tonnage of 40,000 tons since the outbreak of the Russian war.