APPALLING WEATHER

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 25 October 1941, Page 6

APPALLING WEATHER

DELAYING GERMAN ADVANCE ATTACK~FROM TIIREK DIRECTION'S MOSCOW THREATENED WITH ENCIRCLEMENT (Roc., 1 p.m.) London, Oct., 24 German panzers are being hurled against Moscow from three directions and the capital is threatened with encirclement, says the “Tidningen’s” Berlin correspondent. Swarms of planes are supporting the Panzers, bombing roads and railways eastwards of Moscow to: prevent the Russians from retreating. The “Dagensynheter's” Berlin corres-| pondent claims that the whole of ■ Moscow is now within the range of the ; German artillery and adds that ; weather has crippled the Germans' j famous motorcycle and bicycle batla- j hons. The men are dragging their j machines through a foot of mud. The Germans say that a frost will be neces- \ sary for any decisive operations. Berlin officials said that the weather conditions on the Russian front are appalling, with driving rain and snowstorms. On the central and southern fronts the armies are struggling in seas of j mud. These factors together arc J bogging transport, which alone i.s delaying the German advance. The Russians are blowing up ail in-; dustrial plant as they retreat, lighting! strong rearguard actions. A Kuibyshev message says that at - j cording to statements by recently j captured prisoners the German High j Command is now trying to drive troops ; cn to Moscow by declaring that a holt I at the present moment is equivalent to ■ I.atest reports indicate that new Soviet reserves are now participating in the battle for Moscow. A famous Soviet division which distinguished itself in the Finnish campaign has been for some days holding the neighbourhood of the highway where Napoleon fought. This division is battling for every yard of territory. Villages have changed hands several times. The Berlin radio admits that the Soviet is thPbwing in large forces in the Moscow region and says that they 1 are attempting to hold up the German advance by blockading roads and destroying billeting facilities.—U.P.A. '