CRIMEA FIGHTING

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24136, 1 December 1941, Page 7

CRIMEA FIGHTING

DANGER TO SEBASTOPOI

NEW GERMAN ATTACKS REGARDLESS OF LOSSES (Reed. 10.45 p.m.) LONDON, Not. 30 Moscow radio admits that Sebastopol, in the Crimea, is greatly endangered owing to new, heavy German attacks. The Germans claim the capture of Balaclava, which is eight miles south-east of Sebastopol. Vigorous counter-attacks have been made by the .Russians at Sebastopol. The Moscow radio says the Soviet forces recaptured a large village and also several strategic heights during a 24-hour battle at the approaches to Sebastopol. The Tass news agency despatch from the Crimea, reporting the new German activity against Sebastopol, says enemy pressure is increasing. The enemy continues to bring up fresh forces with which, regardless of heavy losses, he is repeatedly attempting to storm the heights and approaches to the city. Soviet troops and airmen, aided by the Black Sea Fleet, are heroically resisting the enemy. Guerillas in the Moscow area recently combined in a night attack against the headquarters of a German concentration. They severed all communications between the headquarters and troop units, killed 600 Germans, and captured important documents and war material. They also destroyed buildings in which German officers were housed, an ammunition dump and a motor repair base. The huge losses suffered by the Germans are confirmed by prisoners. One reported that his division on November 10 and 11 lost 200 tanks and a quarter of its lorries. RUSSIAN EFFICIENCY ASSEMBLING AEROPLANES (Reed. 8.15 p.m.)' LONDON, Nov. 30 The Under-Secretary for Air, Captain H. H. Balfour, in a speech, said the first British fighter aeroplanes to arrive in Russia were assembled within a few hours by Russian technicians working in exposed conditions without thought for rest or food. Russian pilots flew the aeroplanes without difficulty from an aerodrome built in 30 days. Captain Balfour said it was unorthodox to 'mild an aerodrome in days. The conventional view was that an aerodrome took months to build, but the fact remained that the Russian aerodrome did its job.