STUBBORN LAND FIGHTING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 24024, 23 July 1941, Page 7

STUBBORN LAND FIGHTING

NAZI EXCUSES FOR SLOW PROGRESS

(Received July 22, 11.80 p.m.) LONDON, July 22 The Moscow radio reported this morning that more than 200 German planes took part in a raid on Moscow last night. Seventeen of them were shot down. A few fires were started and several persons were killed or injured.

The alarm lasted for five and a-half hours, and reached what is described as a " mass scale." Broadcasts from Moscow this morning claim that the raid failed, and that the Russian defences prevented the main body of planes reaching the city. Only single planes broke through. No military objectives were hit. Moscow also discloses that two attempts were made by German planes in the past two days to attack Leningrad. On each occasion, it is claimed, the raiders were intercepted and turned back before they reached the Leningrad district. The first raid was on Sunday and in this 1 1 German planes were shot down. The second raid was yesterday, when eight raiders were destroyed. The Russian losses are given as four planes. The Russian communique this morning reports continued stubborn fighting in the Polotsk, Neval, Smolensk and NovogradVolynsk sectors. According to private Soviet advice, states an agency message, Smolensk is still in Russian hands.

There have been no new German claims, and in a broadcast from Berlin a high German officer admitted that the effectiveness of Russia,n guerilla fighters made it difficult to maintain communications. German supply columns moving up made a good visible target. The ruthless devastation of the country by the Russians had also stemmed the advance.

The Stockholm correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says Marshal Timoshenko on Sunday dislodged German panzer forces from the precarious foothold in the outskirts of Smolensk which they had won on Friday. According to reliable sources, a big battle continues west of Smolensk on both sides of the main railway from Warsaw to Moscow.

It is reported from New York that General Rommel, commander of the Germans in North Africa, has been recalled to Germany to collaborate with General List in directing the Russian campaign, according to private advice received from Europe of a " shake-up " in the German army. The heads of the High Command, Field-Marshal von Keitel and Field-Marshal von Brauchitsch, are said to have been relegated to the background because of the poor progress of the German forces in Russia. The Times recalls the broadcast from Moscow, based on information from Berne, that Goering has been disgraced, that several generals have been removed from their posts and that a number of high officers have committed suicide.