RUSSIANS BRING UP RESERVES

Southland Times, Issue 24565, 14 October 1941, Page 5

RUSSIANS BRING UP RESERVES

THREAT FROM GERMAN WEDGES SERIOUS

(Rec. 6.50 p.m.) LONDON, October 12. Resistance to the terrific German onslaught against Moscow, which appears fiercest around Viazma, has apparently somewhat stiffened as a result of the pouring in of big, well-equipped reserves, but the threat of the German wedges driven deeply into the Russian lines is still very serious. Despite the reported checking of the German push northwards from Orel and the recapture of an unnamed town near Viazma Moscow continues to issue a series of stem warnings. The Red Star’s correspondent says: “Our resistance is entering a crucial phase. The enemy must be stopped somehow.” Other sources point out that the Germans continue to suffer bloody losses, but Marshal Timoshenko is unable to claim that the offensive has been checked to any material extent, although it possibly has somewhat slowed down compared with the first days of the renewed drive against Moscow. The Germans are now reported to be desperately bidding for control of tire road from Viazma to Moscow. A despatch to Moscow claims that three battalions of German parachutists have been wiped out in this sector, where the battle continues day and night with undiminished ferocity. Huge forces are being used by both sides. Tlje Germans are deriving an advantage at many points as the result of the numerical superiority of their tank forces. RUSSIANS IN POCKET According to a Berlin military spokesman masses of Russians enclosed in a great pocket around Viazma and Bryansk are being compressed ever closer. All Russian attempts to break through the encircling ring have broken down under heavy German artillery fire. Moscow admits that the situation in the Orel area remains grave. Three mass German attacks are claimed to have been repulsed just northwards of Orel. The Germans are now massing reserves in this sector, but their movements have been considerably hampered as the result of bold Russian air attacks.

The Moscow correspondent of the British United Press states that Russian bombers are wreaking havoc among German tanks. Snow has fallen heavily in the Orel region, but Russian airmen are unhesitatingly going aloft. The German High Command spokesman today claimed that the campaign had entered a new phase. It admitted strong Russian attacks on the central and Leningrad fronts. The Germans continu' to claim big successes in the southern sector.

Referring to this area, a German commentator said Hitler’s predictions had been fulfilled quicker than anyone thought. The Germans are probably still progressing towards Rostov _ and the seriousness of the general position in the Ukraine is not denied in Moscow. However, the Stockholm correspondent of The Times believes that the German claim that the battle northwards of the Sea of Azov has ended is pretnature. Pravda reports that the Black Sea Fleet airmen have heavily raided aerodromes and troop concentrations near Melitopol, destroyed at least 21 places and inflicted heavy casualties on two battalions. LENINGRAD FRONT The Germans appear to have renewed the offensive on the Leningrad front, but once again they have been checked by the heroic defenders. Marshal Voroshilov is continuing local counter-attacks and daring thrusts by tanks, taking a substantial toll of the enemy’s men and material. According to German prisoners the German losses on the Leningrad front have been so heavy that expert parachutists are now being used as infantry. The Finns claim substantial progress from Petroszvodsk along the Lenin-grad-Murmansk railway towards Kondopoga. Further south the Finns are reported to have pushed along the river Svir, crossed the Onega Canal and captured Vytegra.

JAPANESE DIVISIONS IN MANCHUKUO

CHANGSHA, October 12.

General Hsueh Yueh, commander of China’s sixth war zone, said the Japanese were concentrating 32 divisions in Manchukuo to attack Siberia. Meanwhile the Japanese-Chinese War had entered a new momentous phase in which China would push a general counter-offensive. He said this was the third stage of the war in which China would drive the Japanese out, adding that Britain, America and Russia would deal a knock-out blow.