NAZI FAILURE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20623, 26 November 1941, Page 6

NAZI FAILURE

PINCERS MOVE MOSCOW DEFIANT SOVIET COUNTERS BIG TOLL OF GERMANS (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Nov. 26, 11.25 a.m.) LONDON, Nov. 25. The German attempt to apply pincers tactics to Moscow has so far failed, says the Moscow radio. Nine days of the new offensive have passed, but the Germans have not succeeded in reaching anywhere near the city approaches. The Pravda, summing up the general situation, states: “The Germans in the direction of Klin succeeded in pressing back our troops slightly in exceedingjy-violent engagements. Our troops in the Volokalamsk direction beat off enemy attacks and launched counter-attacks. In some sectors we retired to new lines better for defence. “We beat off a number of enemy attacks in the Mojaisk direction and stopped a German attempt to turn our flank and inflicted heavy losses with artillery. “The lengthy lull on the Maloyaroslavets and Naryfominsk directions was broken on Monday by violent gunfire, the Germans intensively shelling our- advanced lines and main defences.” The Red Star reports violent street fighting is going on in Tikhvin. Russian -artillery is shelling the enemy trenches and destroying German guns. Mine-throwers are installed in the town’s stone houses. The Germans are rushing up reinforcements doing their utmost to beat off the Russians in view of the great importance of the junction. Devastating Fire The Germans on Monday threw in over a battalion supported by tanks, but met a devastating fire and were forced to retreat, leaving the ground littered with dead. The Russians followed up and broke into the southwestern section of Tikhvin, where the battle continues.

The Izvestia says that the Russian counter-attacks eastwards of Novgorod were directed against the enemy’s front and rear. The Russians are following up the successful advance which began on November 10 and have captured important villages. The Izvestia says that the Russians on the Leningrad front are firmly entrenched on the southern bank of the River N in lines recaptured from the enemy who fruitlessly counterattacked., The fighting continues day and night.

The Izvestia claims that during the combats westwards of Rostov the enemy retreated over 37 miles in the main direction, while in some sectors the Russions pressed them back 62 miles.

The enemy suffered enormous losses. Part of General von Kleist’s Panzer group was smashed. The enemy, realising the strength of the Red Army’s onslaught, is now hurriedly transferring fresh troops from several other directions to the scene of the fighting. The Russian advance is continuing. The Soviet spokesman, M. Lozovsky, stated the Cossacks participated in the Russian advance westward of Rostov. “The Germans received a severe blow there,” said M. Lozovsky. He added that he was fully confident that the German offensive against Moscow would fail.