MOVING TO CRISIS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 15 October 1941, Page 5

MOVING TO CRISIS

BATTLE FOR MOSCOW Growing Resistance to Germans HEAVY FIGHTING CONTINUING (Rec. I 1.0 a m.) London, Oct 14. According to Russian dispatches from the front in the afternoon German forces on the \ izma sector are meeting growing resistance which is slackening the rate of advance. Soviet forces from Bryansk under the command of General Yeremenko, which retired orderly and intact, are now beating back enemy attacks against new positions. “Izvestia (Moscow) reports that endless columns of Russian reinforcements are moving up the snow-covered roads on the Viazma sector. The "Red Star" says the Germans are rushing up reinforce ments on the Orel sector after their forces fell into the Russian trap. After a seven days' tank battle on the Orel front Soviet forces have taken up a new line of defence. The "Red Star" also says that lighting is proceeding continuously around Melitopol. On the southern front the Germans lost three battalions while capturing a height during a three days battle A Nazi spokesman claimed that the outer defence belt of Moscow is now within range of German artillery. He added that the German forces are now driving down from the \ aldai hills in the direction of the Moscow-Leningrad railway. A special German communique states: Enemy forces enclosed in the Viazma sector have been definitely wiped out. The destruction of the enemy in the Bryansk pocket is continuing. I risoners in this gigantic double battle are now over 500.000 and the number is increasing hourly. Total prisoners since the beginning of the Eastern Campaign so far are in excess of 3,000,000. TVio Cpnnanc annpar 1 n Wo evert iilii ” ——

The Germans appear to be exerting terrific pressure on the central front in Russia, and the morning Russian comrpunique says: “Our troops were engaged in fighting along the entire front. Fighting was particularly fierce in a western direction. Expert commentators are of the opinion that the battle on the central front is moving to its crisis. The Germans are making every effort to gain a decision in the near future. In the Orel area the Germans are attacking in great strength but the Russians appear to be holding them at present. In the Bryansk sector the situation is obscure, through reports from Moscow indicates tEat the Russians appear to have the situation in hand. On the Roslav-Moscow sector the Germans appear to have advanced on a narrow front and in great strength. Their advanced units have reached Mojask. 65 miles west of Moscow, but were ejected by the Russians and heavy fighting is continuing. The German drive towards Rzhev seems to be making some progress. In the southern sector there is no further news of operations towards Kharkov, along the north coast of the sea of Azov, or on the Perikop Isthmus. There is no further news from the Murmansk or Leningrad fronts. NAZI REINFORCEMENTS A Russian supplementary communique states: “On the south-western : front the Germans are continuing to throw into the fighting new forces, j using Italian. Hungarians and Ruman- ■ ian troops mainly in places where huge j losses are believed to be unavoidable. | Our troops in constant counter-at-tacks are stemming the enemy’s advances and inflicting heavy losses. Part a warfare in the Dnepropetrovsk district is steadily growing, and big ■ partisan units are inflicting heavy ! losses on the invader, attacking constantly -mall enemy units and annihilating them.” Koenigsberg radio has warned Leningrad that the German High Command has ordered the city to be stormed tomorrow. “The heaviest artillery will bombard the city in the morning, and the city will also be subjected to attacks by the most powerful German bombers.” it stated. “Herr Hitler has ordered Leningrad to be razed to the ground if the attack is resisted, but if you citizens decide to save the town then cease fire immediately and start negotiations for complete capitulation.” Moscow radio to-night stated that a Soviet attack was launched against a point which the Germans are using as a stronghold against Leningrad. Marines from warships in the rear of ines from the Russian Baltic fleet landed from warships in the rear of the German troops and attacked the point from the north after capturing camouflaged German batteries. While the marines were creating the diversion Soviet tanks launched a frontal assault. The battle continues. In the Ukraine and on the Sea of Azov. Moscow says that the Germans are bringing up Italian. Rumanian and , Hungarian troops. Russian counterattacks have checked the Germans and caused heavy losses. Berlin radio declares that all the available Russian forces have been thrown into fierce battles on the central front, and that the Russians have brought a contingent of reinforce- : ments from the northern front. STUBBORN DEFENCE EVERYWHERE A supplementary Moscow communique says: “The enemy are bringing up large numbers of mobile troops and aircraft with which they are at- ! tempting to develop the offensive in a i number of sectors on the central front, ; but everywhere they are encountering j stubborn resistance. Our air force ' throughout the day was bombing columns of enemy reserves and ammunition heading for the front, and for ! every inch of ground the enemy was j paying with mountains of dead, losing over 6000 killed and wounded in one ! sector on 13th October. The Stockholm correspondent of the j “Daily Mail” in an earlier dispatch. ! said that the German infantry divi- ! sions yesterday were bearing the brunt | of Russian counter-attacks, while I lie ; enemy armoured columns after their j 11 days of savage fighting were hastily reorganising for a new thrust against Moscow. The Russians seized the op- ' portunity to counter-attack and harass the enemy. The Red Air Force was ' prominent in these harassing activities. ' Another correspondent says that the j brilliant performance of the Russian . Air Force in hampering the German drive recall the immortal record of the ! Royal Air Force over Dunkirk when the outlook was darkest.—B.O.W and 1 U.P.A. ISOLATION OF CAUCASUS AIM OF THE GERMANS OPINION OF TURKISH OBSERVERS London, Oct. 13. The Istanbul correspondent of "The Times” says that the operations on the i central front in Russia have never distracted Turkish attention from the happenings on the southern front. Many Turkish military observers are of i the opinion that if the Germans cross : the River Don they will first not head toward the Caucasus but rather will j Push from Rostov straight toward the Caspian Sea, endeavouring to drive a wedge between the Russian and British forces and also prevent reinforce- i ments and supplies from being sent ■ across Iran. This, in addition, would interrupt the dispatch of oil from the I Caucasus to Russia.

TRADE UNION COMMITTEE

MEETING TO BE HELD AT MOSCOW MESSAGE FROM BRITISH TANK WORKERS London, Oct. 13. 1 Moscow reports that the British j Labour delegation, headed by the general secretary of the Trade Union Con- | cress. Sir Walter Citrine, has arrived 'to attend a conference of the British 'and Russian Trade Union Committee. The following resolution (states British Office Wireless) has been adopted : at one of the biggest Ministry of Sup I ply tank factories and broadcast to Moscow: “We, the workers in a ‘V’ tank i shop, can find no words to express our 'admiration of the magnificent struggle ;which you. the Soviet people, have j waged alone for 17 weeks against the common enemy. Inspired by your glorious example, we are determined to make the greatest efforts to increase I our output of the tanks which are so •u. gently required and to sec that we in | Britain play our part in the struggle on !the scale which the pact between our two countries demands. “The forces of Fascism are tremendously powerful, bu. complete and united action of the anti-Fascist forces can speed the day when these barbaric : forces are destroyed. For our part we j will do all that is humanly possible to j secure this end.”—U.P.A. AMERICAN WORKERS PLEDGED TO STAND BEHIND THE ALLIES STATEMENT BY FEDERATION PRESIDENT (Rec. 9.15 a.m.) Seattle. Oct. 14. Addressing the American Federation : of Labour Convention the president. Mr Green, pledged American workers to| stand beside the Britons and Russians I to the bitter end. He hinted at. Ameri- j can participation in the war. “If it be- 1 comes necessary for us to do more than work mines and factories we will meet j the call unitedly and courageously. We I i will answer the challenge knowing that ! the torch of liberty will continue to ■ burn brightly if the Allies win.” —U.P.A.

ICHANG EVACUATED

CHINESE OBJECTIVE COMPLETED GAS BOMBING BY JAPANESE London, Oct. 13. A Chinese communique issued in j Chungking states that the Chinese have | evacuated Ichang after three days’ occu- ! pation, having “completed the objective of the campaign—a diversion from the .Changsha battle.” ! The communique said that the Japanese gas bombing caused extremely heavy civilian casualties, and this influenced the decision to withdraw. — U.P.A. USE OF GAS BOMBS DENIED (Rec. 1.20 p.m.) Shanghai, Oct. 14. Japanese army officials fully believe that Americans are piloting Chinese planes which possibly is the reason for ! the alleged precipitate Japanese flight from Changsha. A foreign missionary at Changsha said that during the occupation of i Changsha the sky was literally swarming with Japanese planes. Eight Chinese planes appeared upon which the Japanese fled. The missionary i added that Japanese officers at Changsha were dumbfounded. Chinese planes directly hit a cavalry column outside the city. The Japanese army spokesman denied that gas bombs were dropped on Ichang.—U.P.A.