NAZI HEADQUARTERS RAIDED

Southland Times, Issue 24499, 29 July 1941, Page 5

NAZI HEADQUARTERS RAIDED

The Izvestia’s war correspondent describes a night raid against the headquarters of a German tank division, the whereabouts of which were discovered by scouts. Soviet infantry, supported by a light artillery battery, silently surrounded the headquarters at dusk and attacked simultaneously from three sides. The Germans attempted to resist, but were soon put to flight. Staff officers jumped _ from the windows in panic, abandoning important documents. The Russians took 300 prisoners, including eight divisional and 10 battalion staff officers. SUBMARINE SUNK The Russian midnight communique records no changes. It says that Soviet planes in the Baltic on Saturday sank a: submarine, two torpedoboats and two oil tankers. The most recent communiques indicated that the German advances—where they have been made at all—have been negligible as well as costly. Particularly has this been so in areas where the Germans are desperately trying to reach Moscow and. Leningrad. Military authorities in London link the Russian communique’s announcement that two Nazi infantry divisions have been routed with the German claim yesterday that fresh Soviet troops had been thrown into the battle in the Viazma area, where they had been repelled with heavy losses. It is generally considered that the usual Axis policy of claiming extravagant successes in an effort to counter more reliable

and later reports from the enemy was employed in this instance. Greater credence, therefore, is attached to the Russian claim.

Russia has now been enabled fully to mobilize her ’reserves. Other such reverses—at least local—are possibly in store for Hitler.

A full Slovak regiment surrendered to the Red Army according to reports reaching Moscow. The Slovaks shouted: “Do not shoot. We are not Germans.” They tore off their German badges and explained later that they were only waiting an opportunity to surrender because the Germans were using them as cannon fodder. The British United Press correspondent in Moscow says that the Russians are now operating with their supply bases nearer at hand and are better placed to reinforce their troops than are the Germans, who are finding increased difficulty in supplying the gigantic war machine which alone has any chance of succeeding. Surprisingly, the Russian transport system has not shown any signs of breaking down. Ruthless priority is given to military needs. GUERRILLA FORCES It is increasingly clear that the wellarmed and well-supplied Russian guerrilla forces are proving more valuable than merely nuisances and are greatly worrying the Germans. There is no indication of German superiority -in aeroplanes and tanks, still less in the High Command or in human material. Germany risks losing the war’s biggest gamble during the next few weeks.