Fighting In Suburbs Of Taganrog

Northern Advocate, 4 December 1941, Page 5

Fighting In Suburbs Of Taganrog

(Roc. 1.30 p.m.) LONDON. Dec. 3. Russian detachments are now Fighting in the suburbs of Taganrog, 30 miles west of Rostov, which, according to official Russian sources, the Germans are abandoning in their retreat to Mariupol, 70 miles further west. The Moscow newspaper “Pravda” announces that the Soviet troops on the Rostov front continue their pursuit of the panic-stricken enemy. So far the Germans have already lost 21.000 in the battle near Rostov. Pressure on Moscow Grows “Pravda's” correspondent on the central front says the 16th day of the Germans’ November offensive against Moscow has again created tension jn sectors where there was a lull the day before. The Germans have become active along the whole central front and have thrown in infantry, tanks, artillery and also automatic rifle troops. They have brought up their second echelons, concentrating infantry and tank divisions along the main directions leading to the capital. Sanguinary Battles Violent sanguinary battles are again developing on the roads and highways and in villages. In the Mojaisk and Maloyaroslavets areas the enemy has hurled in large tank columns followed by infantry, but.has met stubborn Russian opposition. The Russian troops have inflicted heavy losses on the Germans in tanks and men. Thirty-five tanks and a battalion of infantry were destroyed in one sector. The Moscow radio says the Russians counter-attacking on a sector of the Karelian front have advanced five miles and have also killed and injured about 300 Finnish officers and men. Fierce Clashes 1 The latest Soviet communique states that near Moscow 17 German aircraft were shot down in the latest fighting. In the Mojaisk sector fierce fighting is going on. particularly at a point between two rivers, where the enemy Threw into battle two infantry divisions and a great number of tanks. Bloody fighting continues. The enemy, ignoring his losses, is attempting to reach the Soviet rear. Red Army infantry, having repelled during the day two enemy tank attacks in the face of numerical superiority, was forced to leave a village. Cavalry Success In the Maloyaroslavets sector during the last 24 hours no important changes took place. In one sector a village was taken by the Germans, but an hour later Russian troops recaptured it. Red Guard cavalry units are continuing to develop successfully a counter-advance in the region of “K " Despite enemy resistance Russian cavalry captured several villages. Another cavalry unit, having annihilated one infantfy company, took four villages and reached the approaches of a railway station. Russian units on the left flank are successfully pressing back the enemy. Many Villages Taken The “Pravda’’ correspondent on the central front states: “Our forces operated offensively in the Klin sector, 40 miles north-west of Moscow, and the Stalinogorsk sector, 25 miles southeast of Tula.

“Cavalry under Major-General Eeloff and tanks are pursuing the offensive, and the enemy is retreating southward. Russian cavalry forces have already occupied a dozen villages, destroying! tanks, lorries and infantry.