NAZI CASUALTIES AT KERCH

Southland Times, Issue 24599, 22 November 1941, Page 7

NAZI CASUALTIES AT KERCH

A Moscow communique states that the Red Army has evacuated Kerch in an orderly manner. All arms and every scrap of war material in addition to valuable property were removed before the evacuation. German casualties in the battle of Kerch were 20,000 killed, with the loss of 130 tanks, considerable war material and vehicles, and 40 planes. Kerch was evacuated for strategical reasons. The Germans are preparing a fresh Offensive on the Moscow front. The Soviet newspaper Izvestia reports that the German offensive against Tula begun on Tuesday was continued on Wednesday but was repulsed. Violent fighting is going on. The situation remains grave in some areas. The Russian communique, after stating that during last night Russian troops were engaged in fighting the enemy on all fronts, adds: “The German High Command has again issued a lie stating that Soviet troops have

been* evacuated from Kerch under the pressure of the German advance and that the Germans have inflicted heavy losses on Soviet troops and on the Soviet navy. This is a lie. The facts are that the Soviet troops were evacuated from Kerch according to an order by the Soviet High Command in order to give our troops better defence positions against the invader. The evacuation was carried out in absolute order.” LOCAL COUNTER-ATTACKS The sole news in informed quarters in London is of heavy fighting continuing and of local Russian counterattacks. The continued Russian resistance is causing Germany much anxiety, according to a message from Berlin. On the order of the Minister of Propaganda an officer of the Ministry has been sent travelling throughout Germany explaining at mass meetings the “resistance and will of the Russians.”