SLIGHT PROGRESS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 14 October 1941, Page 5

SLIGHT PROGRESS

GERMAN DRIVE TO MOSCOW Further Fierce Fighting RUSSIANS RECAPTURE VIAZMA (Rec. ( VSO a.m. ) Rugby, Oct. 13. Competent military commentators in London reviewing the position on the Eastern Front state that no change has taken place on the Finnish or Leningrad fronts. It is considered possible that the Germans may have withdrawn a cettain number ot men and a certain amount of equipment‘from the Leningrad tront for service in the central front and, having failed to capture the city by frontal attacks, have decided to starve it out. In the vital central sector there is no lurther news ot the progress of the German drive towards Rzhev, and other thrusts appear to have made only slight progress. Very severe fighting is certainly continuing, and attempts by the Germans to annihilate the Russian forces cut off behind their advance are proceeding. At the same time there are indications that Russian reserves are being brought up. 1 here are three probable causes which have contributed to the undoubted slowing down of this fourth and heaviest German offensive: ( 1 ) The strength of the Russian resistance which has never shown any signs of slackening; (2) mechanical reasons—tanks and mechanical vehicles require a certain overhauling after ten to twelve days of continuous fighting—and (3) mopping up and organisation of areas captured by the Germans during their advance. 1 here are no indications that the Germans have made any further progress towards the important industrial city of Kharkov, in which sector fierce resistance continues. A Berlin report that German forces have already reached Tagannog, on the Sea of Azov, 4 5 to 30 miles west of Rostrov, is not confirmed. It is considered possible that motorised forces may have reached this place, but it is doubtful whether they can be in any strength. On the Perekop isthmus the Germans are still held up, and no change has taken place at the gallantly defended outpost of Odessa. The Soviet midday' war communique states; “During the night of 1 2th October our troops fought the enemy along the whole front. Fighting was particularly fierce in the direction of Viazma. The titanic struggle continues in the approaches to Moscow, with reinforcements still being poured in on both sides. The Russians under General Boldin have recaptured Viazma after a terrific I 2-hour tank battle. The Germans were driven back several miles. The Germans* losses here in the weekend are estimated to have been more than 5000 men and 100 tanks. Some German tank units are reported to be at least 45 miles east of Viazma. Other panzer forces have apparently reached Tula and Kaluga, but the Russians have isolated them and are beating back the supporting infantry. The thrust against Moscow from the south is meeting with stubborn resistance just north of Mtsensk, which is 30 miles north of Orel. Between Orel and Tula the ground is covered with snow and the invaders here have to traverse great forest areas.

Aft~r Bryansk was evacuated the Russian; took up new position for the defence of the capital. This move may have foiled the German attempt to encircle the Russians in this sector. Bryansk has become a dangerous salient for the defenders after the evacuation of Orel. There are reports that the German driver north of Bryansk is aimed at cutting the Russian defences round Viazma. A German High Command spokesman. after claiming yesterday that the campaign had entered a new phase, admitted strong Russian attacks on the central Lenigrad fronts. The Germans have revised their previous claim to have annihilated the Russians who were claimed to have been encircled on the northern shore of the Sea of Azov, and they now say that there are many pockets of resistance and that there are still Russian armies to be disposed of before Rostov and the Don river are reached. An unofficial German claim says that their troops have taken a town -1 miles west of Rostov. The Russians claim a number of local successes in this sector. The supplement to the Moscow communique speaks of stubborn lighting against enemy units and of counter-attacks, and that SUO Germans were killed in a flonkal attack and that considerable quantities of war material were captured. in the Leningrad sector the position is described as intricate and intense with the Germans on the defensive. The enemy were dug in at several points, but heavy Russian artillery fire has driven them back. Behind their lines the Germans are also being harassed by guerrillas. The Germans appear to have renewed the offensive on the Leningiad front, but once again *o have been checked by the heroic defenders. Marshal Voroshilov is continuing local counter-at-tacks. and daring thrusts by his tanks are taking substantial toll of the enemy's men and material. According to German prisoners, the German losses or. the Leningrad front have been so heavy that expert parachutists are now being used as infantry. The Finns claim to have made substantial progress from Petrozavodsk along the Leningrad-Muimansk railway toward Kondopoga. Farther south the Finns are reported to have pushed along the River Svir. crossed the Onega Canal and captured Vytegra. at the south-east of Lake Onega. The Germans are probably still progressing toward Rostov, and the seriousness of the general position in the Ukraine i: not denied in Moscow. However. “The Times’’ correspondent in Stockholm says he believes that the Germans’ claim that the battle to the north of the Sea of Azov has ended L premature. “Pravda" leports that airmen of the Black Sea fleet have made heavy raids on German aerodromes and troop concentrations near Melitopol and destroyed at least 21 planes and inflicted heavy casualties in two battalions.—B.O.W. GROWING IN INTENSITY BATTLE ON VIAZMA FRONT RUSSIAN REINFORCEMENTS (Rec 11.30 a m.) London. Oct. 13. Entirely fresh regular troops have arrived on the Viazma tront, says the “Pravda” newspaper Their morale is excellent and they are well equipped, warmly dresset and fully ready to meet German rein fori entente in this front where the battle is growing in intensity.lJ.P.A. DEFENDERS OF LENINGRAD Olec 11 30 a m.) Rugby, Oct. 13. Pr >of that the Russian defender of Leningrad are far from content to rest on the defensive is contained in the following supplement to a Soviet communique ‘One unit recently destroyed 13 anti-tank guns. 14 machine-guns and four obstruction posts, and killed 4'tr enemy officers and men -BOW HELP FOR RUSSIA MILITARY ACTION DEMANDED BRITISH PRESS COMMENT London, Oct. 12. To a chorus of demands that Britain should take immediate military action in support of Russia was to-day added the voice of the Communist Party of Gre-t Britain, which stated; “The honour of Britishers is at stake. If Russia is let down, history will demand a terrible retribution.” The "Daily Mail,” in a leader, says:

“Uninformed criticism of the British aid for Russia is now followed in some quarters by a frantic campaign for the . establishment by Britain of a second fighting front. There is a touch of ’ hysteria in a campaign for invasion , anywhere and at any price, which could , prove dangerous.” , The situation on the Eastern Front dominates the Sunday Press (reports I British Official Wireless). Every- ■ where the extreme gravity of the situation is reflected, and though without j , exception the question as to whether 1 Russia will be able to resist this latest ! ’ and greatest German offensive and continue the campaign into the winter ! is answered in the affirmative there i [ is nowhere any doubt expressed as to ; I the heavy sacrifices both in the geo- ; graphical sense and in equipment and , men which our ally will have to-en-dure. HITLER’S GAMBLE "The general opinion appears to be that Hitler has put all the resources ! at his disposal into the present of-' ! tensive in an attempt both to capture j the Soviet capital and annihilate the Russian forces before the real winter j sets in. His losses mean nothing to him so long as he is successful in these tw j aims. The majority of writers are less certain of the power of Russia to prevent his achieving the former than ' the latter aim, in failure in which, in ' spite of the possible necessity of evacuating Moscow, they express considerable confidence. After giving an unsparing picture of Russia’s peril. Mr J. L. Garvin in “The Observer” turns to the favourable aspects of the situation. He says: “Our eastern allies are resolved unto death in their supreme battle for national freedom and against racial slavery. They know this is the direst emergency in the whole history of the Russian people. They fight with desperation in the elementary sense, but not for a moment do they despair. “In the heart of Russia, at fearful cost to themselves but matched by the , German losses, they are holding back the enemy’s pressure across all the approaches to Moscow. There has never 1 been a greater flame of national spirit in the world. The brains and resolve of their leaders are equal to the endless courage and endurance of the rank and file and of the whole people.” ENEMY’S HOME FRONT Mr Greenwood. Minister without portfolio, when making a speech at Blackburn, to-day, said, “a few days < ago Hitler made a speech to the Ger- : man people. It could not have been;, intended to impress us or our Allies;' its object was to put new heart into his subjects, who face under grim condi- i tions. their third year. As a conqueror who has laid waste and brought under his rule country after country, his tone was sombre and subdued. He knows the tremendous losses the Germans have sustained. He was at great pains j to prevent them from becoming known to the German people, because he fears the reaction it would produce. But we cannot close our eyes to the weignt of Hitler’s new attack U.P.A. j CHURCH AND SOCIAL PLANNING I ARCHBISIIOP’S REFERENCE TO RUSSIA Christchurch, Oct.. 13. I “It is a thousand pities that the exi travagances and excesses of the Rus- j j sian experiment have obscured from us their ideal of work as a contribution j iO the life of the community rather ! than as a means to the profit of the 1 . individual.” sai<' Archbishop West- ! Watson, speaking of the Church’s re-j ; lation to social planning and proI grammes in his address tc the Anglican Synod service. “Many of us must have felt that this! Russian doctrine was uncomfortably! reminiscent of the spirit of the Gospel \ and yet perhaps regarded it as suspect ' because the idea seemed to be inseparable from the system. "We need the courage to cut ourselves loose from slavery to systems land to ask ourselves frankly ‘ls this I Communism?’ or ‘ls this capitalism?’ i -u* ‘ls this Christian?’ Otherwise j what is the Church here for? “The whole question of privilege. . I whether of birth or wealth, is one of i the crucial points at issue in view of I I ti e hopes of a new order. Some of I the privileged have regarded their j privileges as implying responsibility and an opportunity for service to the community but a far greater number; ! have regarded them as personal pro- j ■ perty, to be used for their own advan-l : jtage or pleasure.”—P.A.