VIOLENT BATTLE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24083, 30 September 1941, Page 7

VIOLENT BATTLE

LENINGRAD FRONT DEFENCE STIFFENED HEAVY GERMAN LOSSES (Eecd. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. Sept. 28 A further stiffening of the defence of Leningrad is reported by the newspaper Izvestia, under the title: '"Jted Army Counter-attacks on Front Growing in Strength." The newspaper described the Soviet drive as aiming to force the Germans back to an unnamed riyer. The Russians have dislodged the enemy from three lines of fortified positions, in spite of very fierce resistance. A violent battle is coHtxnning in this sector and also on the rest of the Leningrad front. Co-ordination by land, sea and air forces is a vital factor in the defence of Leningrad, and it is strengthened by the population of the city and "behind the enemy lines." German Units Wiped Out A Moscow supplementary communique states that during seven days' fighting in one sector in the western direction of the front Comrade Lushkevick's unit forced tho enemy to abandon fortified positions and wiped out IS infantry companies and destroyed IS tanks, 14 ammunition lorries and 10 trench mortar batteries. Over 2300 German corpses were left on the battlefield. On one sector in the northwestern direction of the front Soviet forces killed. 580 enemy officers and men and put out of action or captured a considerable quantity of war material. A strong Russian garrison still holds the west half of the Baltic island of Osel, including Taga Bay, where there 'is a naval air base. Claims by Berlin The German communique does not mention land fighting, but says heavy army batteries have effectively shelled Soviet warships in Kronstadt Harbour and in the coastal area, and claims that one cruiser was set on fire. A Finnish communique records the ..capture of Rajsa, 25 miles southward from Petrovskoie. The iinns made an air raid on the railway in the vicinity of Petrovskoie. In the Odessa sector the Russians claim to have driven back two enemy battalions with heavy losses. The Moscow mid-day communique claims that the Russians have smashed the '2nd and 4th Rumanian Infantrj Divisions.

CLOSE CO-GPERATION ARMIES IN MIDDLE EAST GENERAL WAVELL'S VIEW • LONDON, Sept. 29 Renter reports that the Commander-in-Chief in India, General Sir Archibald TVavell, "who is now in Teheran, does not think it will be necessary to establish a joint Caucasian or Iranian command for co-operation between the British and the Russian forces. He added, however, that plans were being worked out for close co-operation. General Wavell said he did not propose to visit Russia. A party of 000 Germans released by the British and Russian authorities in Iran has reached Istanbul. The party includes the German Minister and the families of technicians who have been interned in Iran. POPULAR AIR POSTER (Reed. 5.5 p.m.) Sept. 28 According to a Royal Air tore© officer who has just returned from Russia the most popular air poster in Moscow shows a Russian bomber„flyirtg from the east and a British bomber flying from the west, the pilots leaning out and shaking hands while bombs fall <>n Berlin.