NORTHERLY THRUST

Grey River Argus, 19 July 1941, Page 5

NORTHERLY THRUST

MENACES LENINGRAD ENEMY NEAR KIEV . Red Army Counter- : Attacks ' 1 < BRITISH COMMENTS. ' CONFIDENCE IN RUSSIANS. I c (8.0.W.) RUGBY. July 17. ' While mention for the first time in i a Soviet communique of fighting in 1 the Smolensk region indicates some < German advance in this sector, there 1 is no evidence that the German < troops have yet caught up with the i gains claimed in Hitler’s special com- ‘ munique issued last week-end. The ( magnificent determined resistance i which the Red Army and the Soviet people are putting up against the hard striking invaders, fills the ‘British people with admiration for their latest allies, and confidence in their fighting ability. That the situation is full of danger is realised, but it is also clear that the German hopes are by no means being fulfilled. All reports received here or i the high morale both of the Russian ( lighting forces and the civilian pope- • laticn. The Luftwaffe has by no ; means obtained mastery of the air, ; and the Russian Air Force is only . too anxious to brin- the German , pilots to battle. Soviet workers in . farm and factory are taking their part in the struggle, and the Russian railways are functioning well. The ; great “battie block’’, which is about 200 miles wide, is certainly still mov- ' ing eastward, but not at any great speed, and within that block the rival forces are locking in the struggle. Nothing decisive has yeti taken place, and from the Nazi point' of view, considering the mass of men and materials they are employing i probably nothing even substantial. A British view of the whole situation is that given bv the “Daily Telegraph” editorially: “The loss of cities and territory, though the suffering will be cruel, will not defeat Russia. So long as her armies hold together and keep in the field, and the factories and transport system furnish them with munitions, aie is invincible. We have our part to play, by making such havoc of industries and communications in Germany, , that the Reichswehr and Luftwaffe cannot maintain their strength.” ; RUSSO-BRITISH EXCHANGE. < MATERIALS TAKEN BY ’PLANE. ! ( (Rec. 9.25). LONDON, July 18. j The “Daily Telegraph” states: < The first British-Russian exchange of wap materials has occurred bv aero- ( plane. Britain sent diamonds for | use in Russian war factories. Rus- ] sia sent platinum for use in the manufacture of British bombs and . shells. Only two aeroplanes were required to carry these consignments, but the value reached a Hantastic sum. The flights of the aeroplanes were n’-nnecl with the deepest secrecy. Both reached their destinations at the scheduled time. RUSSIAN RESERVES. NOT YET USED UP. (Rec. 5.5) LONDON. July 17. ( “The Times’s” military correspon- J dent says: There is no reason to he- c lieve that the last of the Russian reserves have been yet thrown in. The Germans claim that the last Russian reserves have been used. This claim is absurd. Russia must still have very large resources available. Referring to the fact that there are nine million men now engaged on , the fronts, a German communique • .said: “The Russians have thrown in their last reserves in an attempt to stay the onslaught of the German ' Army and its Allies. Great successes 1 are approaching. U London observers consider that/! the next two days may be crucial in ' deciding the effectiveness of the Rus- * sian strategy of defence in depth. * Much depends on whether the Rus- ‘ sians can bring up to the battle front . their heavy reserves. J I NINE MILLION MEN FIGHTING. , t (Rec. 5.5) LONDON. July 17. < There exceptionally few re-/j ports of the actual fighting between the Germans and the Russians. I A German communique states: There are now nine million men facing each other along the whole Rus- < sian-German front in the greatest battle of history. Thrust at Moscow SMOLENSK CLAIMED. ALSO POLOTSK. LONDON. July 17. The Germans in a communique claim that great successes are about to be attained, the Russians having employed all of their reserves. The German News. Agency claims that the Germans have captured Smol-j ensk and Polotsk. The - Agency also claims that the resistance of strong Russian rearguard units has been broken. German panzer columns are advancing swiftly towards Moscow. Smolensk, an important industrial town on the road from Minsk to Moscow, is about 220 miles west oi the capital. The Russian communique on the fighting yesterday indicates that the Germans have forced forward tne northern arm of their pincers movement in the north, of the central front for it speaks of heavy fighting in the Smolensk sector. The Agency stales that 'west oi Smolensk one thousand Russians have been captured, including the Staff Chief of a division. The spokesman in Berlin said that gigantic battles which are now raging will probably decide the fate of the war. He admitted that Russian forces were counter-attacking fiercely in the north, but claimed that the attacks had been crushed. RUSSIAN DENIALS. LONDON, July 17. While the fact remains that a number of German armies are fighting mightily on Russian soil, and panzers are probing dangerously at Leningrad and Moscow, latest despatches show that the German claims are exaggerated. The Russians say that Smolensk and Pskov are still in their hands. ~ j _ Moscow reports that Major-Gen-eral Otto Lanc-elle has been killed on the eastern front. He was founder and member of. the Stahhelm, and led the military group in the Munich putsch, but left the Stahhelm m 1924 and joined the Nazi party. He soon attained rank and high command in the Storm Trooners, and was' promoted Major-General on the out-' break of the war with Poland. ENEMY CLAIM. (Rec. 8.40). LONDON. Julv 18. The German Official News Agency states’ The Germans have advanced towards Orsha (between Vitebsk and Moglivov, on the River Dneiper.)

BLOWN UP BY GERMANS BEFORE KIEV. X (Rec. 5.5). LONDON, July IS. .A German war correspondent describes an artificial log which has been used to protect German infantrymen when attacking an uncu .••• ground fortress before Ke /. He states it was necessary to dyna nite these Russian earthwork', v.i were three storeys deep. SOVIET COUNTER ATTACKS. IN FRONT OF KIEV. (Rec. 8.40). LONDON. Julv IS. The Berlin Oflic’al News Agency has admitted that the Soviet launched strong counter-attacks against the German infantry when the latter were trying to link up with advance! German" motorised columns in the Kiev area. The Agency claimed that the German artillery has broken up, the counter-attacks. SOUTHERN FRONT. ENEMY CLAIMS KISHINEV. LONDON, July 17. The Germans claim to have captured Kishinev, and advanced beyond Russian sources say .that there is no change in the position in Bessarabia. . . , It is pointed out in London that last week-end German claims placed the Nazi troops immediately in front of Kiev, also on the open road to Moscow, following “penetration oi the Stalin Line at all important points.” So far as is known, Kiev is still in Russian hands, and the most advanced German troops are at least 200 miles from Moscow. COMMUNISTS IN BULGARIA. SHOT FOR SABOTAGE. BERLIN. Jtl’y i?. The German News Agency savs: Sixteen well-known Communists have been shot in Belgrade for attempted sabotage. SOVIET AND CZECHOSLOVAKIA. <Rpc. 5.5) LONDON. Jffiv 17. The Soviet Embassy here has announced that an agreement has been reached between the Soviet and Czechoslovakia for an exchange ot diplomatic representatives, and on a common struggle against Hitlerite Germany.