FIERCE ONSLAUGHT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 192, 16 July 1941, Page 7

FIERCE ONSLAUGHT

NO SIGN OF EASING. SOVIET COUNTER-ATTACKS. (United Press Association—Copyright) LONUOIN', Jury 10. While indicating that the Russian Army is not only ferociously resisting the German attacks but is vigorously counter-attacking, the Moscow night communique nevertheless discloses that the fierceness of the German onslaught Knows no signs of relaxing.

It will be noticed that the communique refers to lighting in the northwest, which is the Leningrad area, hut gives no details countering the German claims. Marshal Mannerheim and General von Brauchitsch are opposed in tin's area by Marshal Voroshilov, the tank expert who mechanised the Red Army

Marshal Mannerheim is attacking across the isthmus east of Wiipuri and claims advances of 50 miles. Brauchitsch's force- is pushing northward and was last heard of engaged in largescale fighting in the Pskov area, though liis advanced units may have pushed on farther towards Leningrad. The Swiss Nouezurcher Zeituug's Berlin correspondent, indeed, says German military circles affirm that Leningrad is now within reach and may be occupied within 24 hours. DISCONCERTING CLAIM. The communique makes only vague references to the western sector where the Germans are driving against Smolensk. Wiping out 100 tanks in an unnamed locality may bo useful, but Berlin's definite morning claim to have reached Mohilev, 90 miles from Smolensk, is disconcerting, though nothing! is available to support the claim that the German vanguard is 130 miles from Moscow.

The Swiss paper's Berlin correspondent quoted above, however, describes Moscow as threatened and forecasts German victories before the week-end. German communiques have given no details since midnight on Sunday. A Moscow communique says: "lighting continued yesterday in the northwest, west, and south-west sectors. Our troops opposed the enemy tank and motorised offensive, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy in repeated counter-attacks.

In the western sector our troops and air force destroyed al>out a hundred tanks and a great number of enemy vehicles. In the south-western sector we defeated an enemy force of about 9000 men, capturing a great number of guns, machine-guns, vehicles, and ammunition. Our air force on Sunday night and during yesterday bombed enemy aerodromes and heavily attacked enemy troops, tanks, and mechanised units?' Tiie Berlin radio claims that German' shock troops after crossing the Dnieper entered the suburbs of Mohilcv,, half-way between Minsk and Smolensk. IMMENSE DESTRUG'TION. The Soviet I'anbassy, giving some details of the working of Russia's "scorched earth" policy, says that at one village which the Germans were approaching the local people loaded all movable grain into railway trucks and what could not be removed was burnt. The growing corn was trampled down in the fields and tractors destroyed tll3 grain by squeezing it into the earth.

The German radio to-day complained that when the Germans captured the most westerly Russian radio station they found that everything hail been smashed by the retreating Russian troops. "Not a small instrument escaped their hammer blows," tho announcer said.