FLANKING MOVEMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 24 January 1942, Page 5

FLANKING MOVEMENT

VIOLENT FIGHTING IN CENTRE NAZI RETREAT FROM MOJAISK i London, Jan. 22. The Moscow “Izvestia” says increasingly violent fighting is going on in the centre as the Russian advance continues, threatening to outflank the Germans retreating from Mojaisk. Prisoners reveal that the Germans are throwing in fresh reserves, many of whom arrived from France a few days ago. The Stockholm correspondent of “The Times” says the Germans admit that further withdrawals on the central front may be expedient. They appear to have already lost Orel, even if he Russians have not actually occupied it The Russian operations at Byelgorod and more to the south threaten to envelop Kharkov or compel the Axis forces there to retire to the Dnieper. The Russians are advancing not only west of Mojaisk, but on the south-west front in the Orel-Kursk-Kharkov front. Moscow radio says that 44 towns and villages have been retaken during the past few days. ARCTIC FOREST BATTLE Fighting has again flared up in the extreme north on the Finnish front. A German broadcast described a forest battle in the Karelian sector. Firstclass Russian troops caused an enemy withdrawal after two days of forest warfare. Time after time the Germans, in an eight-day battle in a primeval forest, attacked a vastly superior enemy, it is said. The Germans have not yet admitted the loss of Mojaisk, but say that they are on the defensive on the Leningrad, Mojaisk, and Donetz fronts. They also report a new Russian attack at Sebastopol, in the Crimea. An earlier Soviet communique stated that the remnants of the routed 7th motorised division, and the 321st infantry regiment of the 197th division are being driven westward from Mojaisk, suffering great losses, specially On 20th January seven German aircraft were shot down and the Russians lost one. During the lighting for Kondrovo, which was captured of 19th January, Russian forces indicted heavy losses on two infantry divisions and routed an S.S. battalion. The troops on the Leningrad front continued to force back the enemy.