MOSCOW FIGHT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20627, 1 December 1941, Page 5

MOSCOW FIGHT

STERN DEFENCE EFFECT ON NAZIS FAILING MORALE SEEN ADVANCE SLOWED UP (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Dec. 1, noon.) LONDON. Nov. 30. A Soviet communique reports that fighting continued during the night on all fronts. Soviet troops evacuated Tichvin, 120 miles east of Leningrad, alter several days of heavy fighting. After giving details of the exploits of the Red soldiers, th* communique adds that as a result of the stubborn resistance of the Red Army and the enemy's tremendous losses the physical condition and morale of the German troops is rapidly declining and as evidence of this quotes a prisoner's statement that soldiers of the 10th tank division were promised that if they took a certain village they would be allowed to go home —a promise which was, of course, broken. The German progress north-west of Moscow continued to be a serious threat to the defenders of the city, although reports reaching Lonoon indicate there has been little territorial movement in the last 24 hours. There has been no further gain to the north-west, but probably some advance has been made near Tula and east of that place. The invaders are apparently within 30 miles of the capital in the direction of Klin. The Moscow radio reports that in the Volakalamsk sector the enemy advance in the region of the town of “I” has slowed up. "Our troops were compelled to retreat under the heavy pressure of enemy tank units, far superior in number, but are fighting for every inch and defending every house in the villages and inflicting heavy losses on the enemy,” stated the Moscow radio. “In the Maloyaroslavets sector the enemy, after heavy artillery fire, attacked our position in four places, but was repulsed.” Initiative Held The Moscow radio further says that Russian troops held the initiative on the Murmansk front, where Russian patrols are constantly harassing the enemy and destroying communications. The Russians are consolidating their positions on the Vazhnaia heights, which were captured early in November. Russian artillery on the Kandalaksha front smashed an ememy flank attack. A dispatch to Moscow from the northern front reports a Russian advance at Kestenga in face of stubborn resistance. The Finns were flung back elsewhere on the Karelian front with heavy losses. The Tass agency says that the Spanish blue division on the Leningrad front suffered at least 3200 casualties This explains why the division has not been in action on this 1 front recently. The Russian advance in the Kalinin sector continues. The Germans were driven out of eight populated centres. All German attacks in the Maloyaroslavets sector were also repelled. The Pravda says the Germans concentrated 49 divisions on the approaches to Moscow. Four tank, four infantry and one Storm Troop divisions were concentrated north-west of Solneshnayagora. Fierce battles are progressing in the directions of Klin and Volokalamsk. The Germans succeeded in thrusting their forces forward eastward in the direction of Klin and turning them from the north in the direction of Stalinogorsk. The frozen ground is helping the German panzer units. A Russian tank brigade in one engagement in the Klin direction destroyed 70 tanks and 25 guns and killed about 2000 Germans. Unable to Penetrate Deeply

The Izvestia says the Germans have been trying for the last 10 days to outflank Tula, attacking in the direction of Stalinogorsk, 25 miles south-east-wards, but were unable to penetrate to any appreciable depth. Tanks equipped with long-range flame-throwers and with cannon and machine-guns are the latest weapon which General Von Bock is hurling against the heroic defenders of Moscow, says the Daily Telegraph’s Stockholm correspondent. Four hundred Stukas are blasting fortifications in almost continuous waves, while squadrons of heavy bombers concentrate on the railways eastward of the capital in the effort to prevent the arrival of reinforcements for General Zhukov’s hard-pressed armies. Nevertheless, despite the worst horrors which German military genius can devise and despite attacks more violent than anything the world has so far seen, the Russian army still stands solid, drawing a curtain of steel across the Moscow approaches. It cannot he denied that the situation is very serious. German storm troops in the past few days have made dangerous progress north and south of Moscow and around Klin and Tula. The Germans claim to have captured Klin and Stalinogorsk but the claims arc unconfirmed.