USE OF RESERVES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20623, 26 November 1941, Page 5

USE OF RESERVES

NAZI NECESSITY ENORMOUS WASTAGE RUSSIA EXACTING PRICE (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Nov. 26, 9 a.m.) LONDON, Nov, 25. The Times’ Kuibyshev correspondent says that although there is no attempt there to under-estimate the seriousness of the military position on the central or southern fronts, official Soviet circles maintain the view that Germany is unlikely to be able to continue throughout the winter to stand the rate of losses inflicted by the Russians. By selling their territory dearly in order to gain time the Russians believe they have already caused the enemy to dip deeply into his reserves. Evidence supporting this view includes the capture of prisoners aged over 50 in the Kalinin sector and also desertions of ill-clad Germans in the Tula area and the Luftwaffe’s failure to find enough planes to bomb vital communications leading to Moscow.

A supplement to a Soviet communique gives details of Soviet air successes in the south-western and southern fronts. Thirty-nine tanks, seven armoured cars, 760 lorries with enemy soldiers, five petrol tanks, 25 guns and over 100 carts with shells were destroyed and two regiments of infantry and more than one platoon of enemy cavalry routed.