CAMPAIGN MOVING SWIFTLY TO CLIMAX

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24738, 15 October 1941, Page 5

CAMPAIGN MOVING SWIFTLY TO CLIMAX

NAZIS NEARING MOSCOW : * f ' '-'V-'’ - - •=,('t; * ' i-: • • * GRAVITY OF SITUATION * GREAT BATTLE RAGING I BOTH SIDES CALL UP RESERVES (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph — Copyright) (Rec. 1 a.m.) LONDON, Oct. 14. The latest news from Russia states that the great battle which is raging in the central sector is swiftly moving to a climax. In a desperate attempt to gain a qujck decision, the Germans are throwing in everything. A thrust between Viazma and Bryansk carried them within 65 miles of Moscow before they were checked. A bitter battle is raging night and day. Reserves are being thrown in by both sides. North of Orel fierce fighting is continuing, and the Russians are holding firm. In the Ukraine the Germans are bringing up Italian and Rumanian reserves, indicating the severity of the German losses. The Konigsberg radio warned Leningrad that the German High Command has ordered the city to be stormed on October 16. “The heaviest artillery will bombard the city on Wednesday morning. The city will also be subject to attacks by the most powerful German bombers. Hitler has ordered Leningrad to be razed to the ground if the attack is resisted, but if your citizens decide to save the town then cease fire immediately and start negotiations for complete capitulation.” The evacuation of Viazma was announced in a midnight Russian communique, which states: “ On October 13 pur troops were engaged along the entire front, and particularly intense fighting took place in the Viazma and Briansk directions. After heavy fighting extending over several days, and . after continuous throwing of new German troops into the battle, our troops withdrew from the town of.Viazma.” - ENEMY'S HUGE LOSSES The immensity of the Russian struggle can be judged from the latest Russian communique, which, after -announcing the evacuation of Viazma, states that the enemy suffered huge losses ■ of men and material in taking Viazma on October 11. No fewer than 122 German planes were destroyed, of which 16 were shot down. We lost 27. On October 13 seven German planes were shot . down in the vicinity of Moscow.” A supplementary Moscow communique says: “ The enemy is bringing up large numbers of mobile troops and aircraft with which he is attempting to develop an offensive in a number of sectors on the central front, but everywhere he is encountering stubborn resistance. Our Air Force throughout the day has been bombing enemy reserves and ammunition columns heading - fpr the front, and for every inch of ground the enemy is paying with mountains of dead, losing . over 600 ff killed-and wounded in one sector on October 13. The enemy also continues to bring new forces to 'action pn the southern front, but our counter-action is checking his advance. In one sector on this front the Soviet Air Force, commanded by Marshal Melikov, in three days wiped out 2500 officers and men, six tanks, seven armoured cars, nine guns, 122 machine-guns, and 144 1 lorries, mostly laden with'.troops. - '.y . v; - : -' - REPORTED BRITISH LANDING A message received at Ottawa states that a British force has landed at the Russian White Sea port of Archangel;; The report originates from Stockholm and declares that Canadian troops are included. 4 v . ■ Washington sources express the opinion that supplies are being landed there. ' The Canadian military spokesman said he was not aware of any Canadians taking part. The Boston radio quotes a Swedish report saying that the British troops at Archangel total 30,000. *

FALL OF VIAZMA

ARMOURED UNITS A NEW THRUST HASTY REORGANISATION (Rec. 8 p.m.) LONDON. Oct. 13. A German infantry division was today bearing the brunt of the Russian counter-attacks while the armoured columns after 11 days of savage fighting are hastily reorganising for a new thrust, against Moscow, says the Stockholm correspondent of the Daily Mail The Russians seized the opportunity to counter-attack and harass the enemy The Red Air Force has been promineni in these harassing activities. Another correspondent says the brilliant performances of the Russian Air Force in hampering the German drive recall the immortal record of the R.A.F over Dunkirk when the outlook was darkest. The Moscow radio to-night stated that a Soviet attack was launched against a point which the Germans were using as a stronghold against Leningrad. Marines from the Russian Baltic fleet landed from warships in the rear of the German troops and attacked the point from the north after capturing camouflaged German batteries. While the marines were creating a diversion Soviet tanks launched a frontal assault and the battle continues.

SLIGHT PROGRESS RUSSIAN RESISTANCE NO SIGN OF SLACKENING RUGBY, Oct. 13. Competent military commentators in London, reviewing the position on the eastern front, slate that no change ha.-; taken place on the Finnish or Leningrad fronts. It is considered possible that the Germans may have withdrawn a certain number of men and an amount of equipment from the Leningrad front for service in the centra! front, and, having failed to capture the city by frontal attacks, have decided to starve it out. In the vital central sector there is no further news of the progress of the German drive towards Rzhev. and other thrusts appear to have made only slight progress. Very severe fighting is certainly continuing, and attempts by the Germans to annihilate the Russian forces cut off behind their advance are proceeding. At the same time there are indications that Russian reserves are being brought up. There are three probable causes which have contributed to the undoubted slowing down of this fourth and heaviest German offensive: — 1. The strength of the Russian resistance* which has never shown any signs of slackening. 2. Mechanical reasons—tanks and mechanical vehicles require certain overhauling after 10 to 12 days of continuous lighting. 3 Mopping up and organisation of the areas captured by the Germans during their advance. There are no* indications that the Germans have made any further progress towards the important industrial city of Kharkov, in which sector fierce resistance continues. The Berlin report that the German forces have already reached Taganrog, on the Sea of Azov, 45 to 50 miles west of Rostrov, is not confirmed. I* is considered possible that motorised forces may have reached this place, but it is doubtful whether they can be in any strength. On the Perekop Isthmus the Germans are still held up, and no change has taken place at this gal-lantly-defended outpost of Odessa. The Soviet mid-day war communique stales: “ During the night of October 12 our troops fought the enemy along the whole front. The fighting was particularly fierce in the direction of Viazma.”

RUSSIANS WITHDRAW • ' ‘ MOSCOW DEFENCES LONDON, Oct. 14. The Russians have evacuated Viazma, though it is thought the withdrawal may be part of Marshal Timoshenko's plans for the defence of Moscow with fresh reinforcements which are pouring in. The fall of Viazma does not alter the fact that the whole of the German offensive is slowing down. There is nothing to indicate that the Germans are any. where within 100 miles of the capital, though the general position remains serious in spite of Russiaa resistance. The region between the Leningrad district and the German left wing operating against Moscow has been unusually, perhaps ominously, quiet lately. Observers' in Stockholm say that each side appears to be preparing for. operations against the other’s Moscow flank. The Times correspondent on the German frontier says that Marshal Voroshilov', by defending Leningrad with offensive tactics, effectively pinned down General von Leeb’s forces, whose advance against Moscow, was an integral part of the Germans’ plan for attacking the capital. The same correspondent emphasises that the Germans will find Moscow as tough as Leningrad and Odessa. Moscow’s defences consist of a deep series of concentric fort belts, not rigid like the Maginot Line, but rather chains of strongly defended islets connected by a system of trenches excellently camouflaged. Lorries are everywhere ready to rush men and munitions from one section of the defences to another. If Moscow is evacuated, heavy guns can be loaded on to lorries and taken away. The correspondent adds that all the important archives of the chief administrative bodies in Moscow were sent to Sverdlovsk and elsewhere last week. 'V/. It was officially announced in Moscow to-night that Viazma has been evacuated..

The Berlin radio declared that ah available Russian forces have been thrown into the fierce battles on the central front and the Russians have brought a contingent of reinforcements from the northern front.

The Istanbul correspondent of The Times says operations in the centra) sector in Russia have never distracted Turkish attention from happenings on the southern front and many Turkish military observers are of the opinion that if the Germans cross the Don River they will not at first head towards the Caucasus, but rather will push from Rostov straight towards the Caspian, endeavouring to drive a wedge betwen Russian and British forces and also prevent reinforcements and supplies from being sent across Iran and, in addition, interrupt the despatch of oil from the Caucasus to Russia, v