Red Artillery’s Devastating Power

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 265, 7 November 1941, Page 5

Red Artillery’s Devastating Power

United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.

Received Thursday, 11.40 p.m.

LONDON, Nov. 6.

The Moscow radio early this morning claimed that the Okrmans are in full retreat in the Volokalamsk sector, abandoning position after position. It added that the retreat followed an attempt to break through with shock troops and motorised and mechanised forces which the Russians foiled. Our infantry then counter-attacked, recapturing two villages in the first two hours. ’ ’ . The radio stated that in the Volokalamsk sector the mam blow was dealt to the Germans by a unit under the command of Colonel Rokossovsky. It had recently become clear that the enemy intended to strike from this direction towards the capital and it was decided to attack whilst his preparations were still going on. Russian artillery opened fire against enemy concentrations and followed up by an infantry attack. In the first skirmishes 200 Germans were killed and three guns, many trench mortars, machine-guns and other weapons captured. The Germans were driven out of the villages of Kihailovo, Torrino, Marino and several others. The ensmy infantry was cut off from artillery support. Russian cavalry attacked the enemy in the rear, hampering his operations. By yesterday evening the Russian troops had penetrated six kilometres into the enemy positions. The Germans sent first 100 and then 150 tanks into the battle. Twenty were destroyed on the first day and 100 on the seoond. The enemy then changed his tactics, operating his tanks not more than 200 yards ahead of the infantry. Russian artillery played an outstanding part in these operations and three units destroyed respectively 69, 51 and 45 tanks. In the Mojaisk sector, particularly along the highway to Moscow, the enemy brought in large tank forces and 51 were destroyed in one day. Attempts to cross the Naro river were frustrated. In the Kalinin sector the enemy is reforming his forces, but attempts to cross the Volga were met with fierce Russian resistance.

In the Donetz basin the Russian forces took up new positions at Golovka. Fifteen hundred Germans were killed in one sector of this front. In the Tula direction telling blows are being dealt at the Germans, who are bringing up reserves. The weather conditions on the Moscow front are very bad with frost and snow.

A Stockholm correspondent declares that the Russian artillery is playing an important part in the defence of Moscow. The barrages are described as terrifying, crushing everything in their path.