IN DEADLY GRIPS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 198, 23 July 1941, Page 7

IN DEADLY GRIPS

BATTLE OF THE ARMIES. NAZI ADMISSIONS. (United Press Association —Copyright.) (Rec. 9 a.m.) RUGBY, July 22. The great battle between the Germans and Russians, in which the opposing armies are wrestling in fighting zones of great depth, continues with unabated violence. It is considered by military circles in London that certain developments are now clear. (1) The German advance from Pskov towards Leningrad seems to have been held up by the Russians. (2) The Russians seem to be putting up fierce resistance to the Germans endeavouring to advance on both flanks of Smolensk. It is still uncertain whether the Germans have occupied the city, but it is possible that German detachments are fighting beyond it to the east, although the main supporting forces arc still doing their best to break through on the flanks. (3) The Germans seem to he making an advance in the direction of Kiev by the thrust developing down the right bank of the Dnieper, which will be watched carefully, as success might endanger the Russian forces in tho Bessarabian sector.

The German newspaper Frankfurter Zcitung, which has maintained an outspoken attitude throughout the Nazi regime, says: “In some sectors of the front our victories were too hasty. Fortresses were believed to have been j already conquered, but, suddenly re- | sinned their resistance by virtue of ' underground fortifications not noticed by our soldiers, “Again and again fresh battles must be fought in territory already considered dominated by our army. This stubborn resistance is only explained by the Bolshevik fanaticism or fear of tho Political Commissars. “An enormous number of Russian tanks have been destroyed, and our tanks are still engaged in hard battles. A great part of the Red Army has been annihilated, but it still remains impossible to judge how long it will take before it is beaten. Only one tiling is certain, and that is. that Germany will fight this war against Russia to the end. “We confess that the hardships m these battles exceed anything m history, and wo assume that the increased bitter resistance and power of Die Red Army is caused by the knowledge of its leaders that the last reserves are in the fight.”—Official Wireless. “MEDIUM” BLITZ” RAIDERS WELL TROUNCED. (Rec. 11.15 a.m.) LONDON, July 22. While the Berlin News Agency claimed that the raid on Moscow last ni"ht equalled the heaviest against Britain, correspondents who have experienced tho bombings of Loudon described it as a “medium blitz.”

Fires faintly lit up the sky, but the spectacular red glow of London’s worst fire raids was lacking. If the Russian figure of 200 raiders is correct the attack was, indeed, only one-third of tho strength which London experienced on at least two nights. Apparently the Germans are attempting to carry out from the air what the Panzer forces have failed to achieve—a break-through to Moscow. One correspondent suggests that the Germans have under-rated Moscow's defences, especially as the first raider was over Moscow while

it was still light,

The anti-aircraft defences put up a tremendous fire of “flaming onions” and tracers. Shell bursts, searchlights, arid German flares added to the giirishness of the scone, and the rat-a-tat and the boom of the guns were continuous throughout the raid, with tho occasional swish of incendiaries and, less frequently, explosives. Tlie Russian fighters operated most effectively and correspondents agree that most of the raiders wore turned back before they reached the city. The raid caused only comparatively small damage and tho Associated Press says the only sign of the bombing in the centre of the city was a crater outside tho American Embassy. Firewatchers quickly dealt with most of the incendiaries, and Home Guards, police, and wardens co-operatcd. The public remained calm. Britons were in one building which caught afire, but they assisted the firowatchers and quickly extinguished the flames.

Most of the traces of damage were cleared up within three hours and the public utility services were normal this morning. The Kremlin and other public centres were untouched.