STERN FIGHTING

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24101, 21 October 1941, Page 7

STERN FIGHTING

THE NORTHERN FRONT APPROACH OF WINTER SNOW ON BATTLEFIELDS (Herd. 7.50 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 20 There is little news concerning the fighting on the northern front. Ihe Moscow radio reports stern battles for possession of an important strategic point "E," which the Germans had strongly fortified. The Russians eventually manoeuvred behind the German line at night, took advantage of the resultant German confusion and occupied the point. Swiss despatches suggest that Marshal Voroshiloff is becoming more aggressive. On the other hand, the Berlin radio claimed that the Germans on Friday captured 4-15 strong-points on the Leningrad front. Severe Weather Tho hitter Russian winter seems to have overtaken Hitler's panzer forces a.s they continue to batter the defences on the distant approaches to Moscow. The battlefield, according to Izvestia, is covered with a thick carpet of snow, and the roads glisten with a bard coating of ice. The theme of the German race against winter was elaborated in a Moscow broadcast to Germany, which said: "Hitler staked everything on a single card in order to outwit the Russian winter. The battles are now raging in had weather. Hitler's plan has failed. The battle for Moscow is only beginning, but the ground is covered with corpses of German soldiers, and areas which the generals have neatly marked on their maps are soaked with German blood."

In spite of the weather the fighting is apparently continuing; with unabated violence, although the absence of any fresh German olaim of progress suggests that the tempo of the German drive has slackened, "Defence Line Holding"

Moscow'b 250 miles long defence line running almost due north and south between Kalinin and Orel appears to he holding against even heavier attacks of massed infantry and tanks. The latest information indicates that the Rtissian fronts have not appreciably altered since Friday. The heaviest fighting on the central front at present apj>ears to be in the vicinity of Orel and Kalinin. The Moscow radio claimed that the Red Army had launched a counterthrust, resulting in violent fighting for five days around Kalinin and in the streets. The Germans, in the last two days, had lost over 800 killed in this locality. The Berlin radio denies that the Russians have recaptured Orel and Kalinin, and adds that fresh panzer units are arriving on the central front, and the fighting is particularly heavy between Kalinin and Moscow, and near Mojaisk. Dive-bombers are claimed to be constantly attacking the Soviet fortifications along the outer defences of Moscow. VIGOROUS ACTIVITY SOVIET AIR FORCE LONDON, Oct. 19 Further news of vigorous activity by the Russian Air Force against German troops is given in a supplementary communique from Moscow, which says: "One squadron has destroyed during the last few days 117 tanks, 23 antiaircraft guns, 27 aircraft, of which 20 were oil the ground, and lias also routed at least five battalions of infantry. Another air squadron has destroyed during the last three days 113 motor-cars and two companies of infantry, and has shot down two aircraft."

In the Ukraine during the last three weeks one Russian air squadron destroyed 56 enemy aircraft, 104 tanks, 600 motor-cars, 60 light tanks, 15 armoured cars and 40 guns.

FINNS' COMPLAINTS

LONDON, Oct. 19

A Moscow communique describes increased tension between Finnish and German soldiers. Finnish prisoners declare that German officers treat them like cattle and that the German Command throws Finnish units into places where huge losses are unavoidable. THREE SHIPS HIT ENEMY CONVOY ATTACKED (Kecd. 11.30 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 20 A Royal Air Force Middle Fast communique states that naval aircraft successfully attacked an enemy convoy in the Central Mediterranean on Friday night and direct hits with torpedoes were scored on two medium-sized merchant vessels. A smaller ship also appeared to have been hit. During the same night bombers raided an aerodrome in Sardinia, many bombs exploding on the target. All our aircraft returned safely.

Heavy bombers of the Royal Air Force raided Trapini aerodrome in Sicily during Friday night. Shipping and harbour installations at Benghazi were also attacked. Bomber aircraft of the South African Air Force on Saturday raided enemy landing grounds in Cyrenaica.