HINTS OF WITHDRAWAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24836, 9 February 1942, Page 6

HINTS OF WITHDRAWAL

f NAZIS AT LENINGRAD PLANS FOR THE SPRING DRIVE INTO TOE CAUCASUS <Rec. 10 pjn.) LONDON, Feb. ll The Germans expect that the Leningrad front Will soon emerge prominently in. the news and hint that an important rearrangement of the opposing forces can be expected, says the Stockholm correspondent of ? The Time«, quoting; tiwtltii militarycircles. NeWs from ihdependent sources in Berlin indicates that preparations have been made for the withdrawal of:the German forces following theL«cent Russian advance into the frozen Kholm marshes. Any considerable retirement would imply that the Germans have decided to raise the siege of Leningrad and retire to Estonia in enable their! energies; tor be concentrated for • •■• a spring 'offensive into the Caucasus. Support for the belief that the Germans are contemplating withdrawal is afforded by the evacuation of the civiliahpopulation fromi tq the east of Lake 'Pelpus, where peasants ■were encouraged to settle 'after the autumn fighting, when the region appeared to in German hands. January hundreds of peasants' have been trans* - 1 ferred to Estonia. , -,• ,\, There is little news concerning .the fighting in the Valdai Hills on the central front. The Russian news gives the impression that, operations are progressing 'for ;iqueezing».the yiazma salient outwardsi towards -vSmolensk. This, it would,appear,!is preferred to a large enveloping: movement from the north toithesouthj,which appears to be.li)eybnd:fhe Russian powers dur- ''■ ing the winter. ~■ i • S - Continued advance is reported in the Soviet- evening 'communique, which states that onFriday:'.■" bur troops were ehgaged?ui stubbowi fighting with Ger- ": man Fascist troops, inflicting heavy lossea on the enemy in men and mechanical v'material: Our units: made further progress On Thursday, 34 enemy aircraft were destroyed, and our losses'were six. . On Friday,: seven German aircraft were shot down hear ;: Moscow.".V' ! ' ; - : " ':.■■■' sJ: An earlier broadcast from the central front, transmitteS by the Moscow radio, stated that during, the last 24 hours Soviet troops continued their advance, f in which the Air Force, took part, against tanks, lorries, and troops, , the German resisting strongly and counter-attacking. . ' . ' INDIfeTWAL DECORATIONS bit trjSsts And worked (Rec. 8,30 p.an.) LONDON, Feb, 7, : According to -a Moscow nieissage., seven -r oilrprbducing and refining trusts, as Well as 1318 oil workers, have; been decorated for excellent achievements. The awards follow an announcement by i the Commissar for the Oil that 1941 was a record year. LENINGRAD FRONT FURTHER SOVIET ADVANCES (Rec. 0.10 a.m.) LONDON, Feb. B.' ,The Moscow radio states that in one sector of the Leningrad front 20 places have been liberated. In another, during the recapture of a village, designated as "Ky- the Germans lost 250 men killed, 10 guns, 15 machine guns, and 6 mortars.