TRENCH WARFARE

Southland Times, Issue 24492, 21 July 1941, Page 5

TRENCH WARFARE

Bayonet Fighting In Mud LONDON, July 18. It is estimated in Berlin that the Soviet Army still has 5,000,000 men, despite enormous losses. Neutral observers believe that Germany has 3,000,000 men engaged and her allies 800,000. Trench warfare with bayonet fighting in the mud has developed on some of the fronts, according to the Soviet newspaper Izvestia. The development arose from the Russians digging individual trenches to escape fire and bombing. When German infantry appeared the Russians rose and attacked with the bayonet. One battalion repulsed eight successive German assaults. Another withstood the enemy 24 hours and then counter-attacked. The heavy German casualties are provoking increasing disquiet among the workers of Germany, according to reports from the German frontier. A fall in factory production has been one result.

The correspondent of The Times on the German frontier is even of the opinion that failure to continue the breathless advance into Russia might gravely imperil the Nazi regime. The German Press, therefore, has raised the public hopes of another gigantic weekend victory. The reality is that German losses are appalling and are expected to become heavier. CRUCIAL RAILWAY JUNCTION

The capture of Smolensk would seriously prejudice the Russian defence because it is a crucial railway junction and a great indus rial centre, but the Russians’ relentless policy of destruction would deprive the Germans of any concrete advantages. Furthermore, the urgent need for a quick succession of victories impels the Germans to push on hurriedly to Moscow without a chance of consolidation of their positions.

The Daily Telegraph’s Stockholm correspondent says there are persistent reports that General Guderian, the organizing genius of Germany’s mechanized armies, has been killed on the Russian front. These have heightened the anxiety spreading throughout Germany. A neutral diplomat said that General Guderian was killed near Luck. . Probably he was the victim of guerillas. The fourth week of Hitler’s onslaught against Russia finds the main Russian armies intact and able to give blow for blow. They are still capable of taking the initiative. Most neutral observers are now convinced that Germany’s most spectacular claims are based on the progress of advanced motorized columns, which the infantry in many cases has not consolidated. Tlie chances of the German infantry keeping pace with the panzer columns is even reported to be growing worse rather than improving. The Germans’ greatest penetration has been in the direction of Smolensk, 350 miles having been covered from East Prussia since the outbreak.

A German communique claims that the break through the strongly-fortified Stalin Line between Mohilev and Vitebsk has been widened beyond Smolensk, which was captured on Wednesday despite stubborn resistance. All enemy attempts to recapture Smolensk failed. German troops are over 60 miles beyond the Stalin Line, in some points. The operations are proceeding favourably in all sectors.