Voroshiloff's Troops Stem Nazis At Gates Of Leningrad

Northern Advocate, 5 September 1941, Page 6

Voroshiloff's Troops Stem Nazis At Gates Of Leningrad

[British Official Wireless! (Received 10.30 a.m.) RUGBY. September 4. ALTHOUGH UNOFFICIAL REPORTS OF THE GERMAN ATTEMPT TO CLOSE IN ON LENINGRAD DWELL ON THE FIERCENESS OF THE BATTLES RAGING IN THAT AREA—MOSCOW DESPATCHES STATE THAT THE BATTLEFIELD IS COVERED WITH THOUSANDS OF GERMAN DEAD AND WOUNDED, AND MARSHAL VOROSHILOFF S TROOPS ARE REPORTED TO HAVE BEATEN OFF DESPERATE ATTEMPTS BY THREE GERMAN DIVISIONS—OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUES FROM BOTH COMBATANTS REMAIN EXTREMELY UNCOMMUNICATIVE. The Russian mid-day communique states 1 lint durintf last id.aid Soviet troops were enttaited in lighting the enemy on the entire front. During the last two days the air arm of the Black Sea fleet destroyed 50 enemy tanks and brought down four Messersehmitts. Dontinning - to claim progress in the advance against Leningrad, Ihe Berlin radio says the Germans have reached Detskoie, 1-B miles from Leningrad, bringing them to the third ring of defences, which eonsisl of old forts reinforced with modern hunkers, pill-boxes and tank traps.

Council Of Six < Moscow announces a special decree setting up a military council of six under Marshal Voroshiloff to defend Leningrad. The decisions and orders of the council are to be obeyed immediately. Another decree orders curfew in Leningrad between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., and forbids the sale of alcoholics after 8 p.m. Despatches from Moscow report that Russian forces in the central sector, which had been cut off by panzer wedges, pushed back the Germans for 32 miles and recaptured 22 villages during a battle which raged for 10 days. The reports added that the inhabitants of the villages were rebuilding bridges and also aiding Russian troops to hunt out hiding Ger■mans. Russians Hit Rack In Centre The German News Agency also records bitter fighting on the central front, where, according to German sources, the Russians are counterattacking in the directions of Viazma, Roslavl and Bryansk. Berlin claims that strong Russian forces were routed and thrown back with heavy casualties.

The Luftwaffe heavily attacked objectives in the vicinity of Bryansk and Kharkov, also communications to the Dnieper from the east. A report from Berlin quoted in Stockholm, states that the Germans hope to force their way to Kharkov “before the British follow tip their junction with the Russians in Iran by gaining a firm footing in the Caucasian oilfields.’’ The Berlin radio admits renewed Russian counter-attacks in the southern sector and adds that the Russians again attempted to cross the Dnieper. Kiev Prepares For Battle A Moscow message states that Kiev is now girding itself for battle. Older men are taking up work in the factories releasing younger men for service with the forces. Military training has been introduced in the Kiev schools. The German News Agency reports that the Rumanians are within one and a-half miles of Odessa and are now preparing to storm the city. Dive-bombers are supporting the Rumanian forces, which are under the command of General Antonescu. These reports are totally unconfirmed, and nothing is known officially suggesting that Odessa's position is any more serious than it has been for several days past. Bryansk Area The Germans admit bitter fighting on the central fronts. They, like the Russians, do not specify the locality, but a clue is given by a, Luftwaffe report that German planes co-oper-ated in ground battles in the Bryansk area. Already there have been signs that the Germans have tried to push to Bryansk in an attempt to cut off the spearhead of General Koniev’s drive against Gomel and Bobruisk. There is no further news from the Leningrad area. The Germans are playing up the magnitude cf the success of the offensive as they did against the Ukraine, but the Russians are confident that the enemy will be beaten off if not bogged by the weather. Finnish Soil Free An official statement issued in Helsinki says the Finnish troops have reached the old frontiers and completed the occupation of the Karelian Istrmus. A Helsinki communique says ' the enemy is stubbornly defending himself , but has been completely defeated on the Warelian Isthmus. The old State frontier has been reached on the whole length. The war booty in the latest operations includes thousands of motor vehicles, nearly 2000 horses, 200 guns, and an enormous number of light arms. The prisoners total 10,000. Mannerheim’s Message Mopping up of scattered units west cf the Isthmus is proceeding. The German News Agency reports that the Commander-in-Chief of the Finnish Forces (Marshal Mannerheim), in a message to his troops, said: — “This part of Finland which was viotion has been restored by the heroic deeds of the Finnish Army. The Blue and White flag is again flying on the proud castle at Viipuri, and Karelia lently torn from us without justificais free, though innumerable burnedout houses, factories and woods will long testify to the true nature of Bolshevism. “Endurance is still demanded of the Finnish Army as the time has not yet come to turn swords into ploughshares,” Major Kolb, Hitler’s personal adviser and a Nazi Party member since 1929. has been killed in action on the Eastern front, reports the “Volkischer Beobachter.” i A .message from Ankara reports that the German Blitz Commander (General List) has been injured on the battlefield. /