VICTORIOUSLY ENDED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 7 August 1941, Page 5

VICTORIOUSLY ENDED

GREAT SMOLENSK BATTLE German Version of Fighting "UNCONDITIONAL TRUTH" IN REPORTS (Rec. i 140 a.m.) London, Aug. 0. The German High Command issued a series of four special communiques describing the fighting since the outbreak of the Rus-sian-German war with the preface stating, “It is apparent from numerous reports that the Soviet High Command no longer possesses a reliable picture of the situation on its own front. Therefore we are sticking to the principle of unconditional truth. Ihe greatest reticence is imposed on German reporting since it is undesirable to give our opponent valuable clues. The German people s justifiable desire for daily information as to the course of operations has had to wait. The Fatherland had even to tolerate the fact that wrong conceptions arose i and that enemy countries disseminated misleading rumours. Ihe time has now come to view fresh operations and cast light on the course and results of the tremendous struggle which began with a breakthrough of the Stalin Line. Because of ground conditions and our own objectives it so happened that this break-through occurred at three points—south of Pripet Marshes, south of Lake Peipus and in the direction of Smolensk. ”

“On the northern sector after the defeat of the Soviet army on the river Dvina and freeing Latvia, the German army assaulted and broke through strong positions south of Lake Peipus. Ostrov, Porkhov and Polotsk fell after a short fight, opening the way for an attack on Leningrad. The left wing of our forces penetrated to Narva and blocked the landbridge between Lake Peipus and the Gulf of Finland. The Estonian army has thrown back the enemy, but operations are not yet concluded. In the southern sector the Germans pushed an advanced patrol to the gates of Kiev, enabling a turn southwards leading to a battle of encirclement which is progressing. A combined German-Rumanian army crossed the central Dniester and proceeded north-easterly to join forces from the north. In the central sector the great Smolensk battles have now victoriously concluded. The extent and stubbornness of the fighting here has given these operations a character unique in history. Our successes far exceed the most optimistic expectations. The German army and air force has shown almost superhuman bravery and endurance facing the toughest enemy yet met. “Conscious in its superiority and certain of victory the German army is ready for the next stage prepared to bring the war to a victorious conclusion.” The communique claims that since the outbreak of war, 895.000 Russians were taken prisoner, and 13,145 armoured fighting vehicles, 10.388 guns, and 9082 planes captured or destroyed. The German losses in killed and wounded far exceed the number of prisoners. RUSSIAN REPORT (Rec. 10 a.m.) London, Aug. 6. A mid-day Russian communique states: “During the night of 6th-6th August our troops continued to wage a battle with the enemy in the directions of Kholm. Smolensk, and Bvelaya Tserkov. On the Estonian sector of the front there were no large scale military operations. “In the Baltic Sea an enemy transport with troops and ammunition was sunk by one of our submarines. “Our Air Force continued to inflict blows upon motorised and mechanised units, infantry and artillery of the enemy, and on the air force at his aerodromes **•—U.P.A IMMINENT BRITISH MOVE England is excited by persistent

rumours of an imminent British move to Join in the fighting with Russia or to create a double front for Hitler. One American correspondent has got a message away relating to reports of large British concentrations in the Arctic, the implication being that a landing would occur in Norway.