THIRD WEEK OF STRUGGLE

Timaru Herald, Volume CL, Issue 22063, 9 September 1941, Page 5

THIRD WEEK OF STRUGGLE

LENINGRAD IS NOT ENCIRCLED

Germans At Outer Defences

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. 1 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 8. The battle for Leningrad is in its third week with the Germans still a good distance from the main defences of the city. The Moscow correspondent of Reuter’s refutes the German claim that the en-

crclement of Leningrad is complete. A broadcast from Leningrad stated that the fierce struggle for the city was in progress night and day, but the Russians were confident that victory would be theirs.

Although Berlin claims that the fighting around Leningrad and Odessa has moved perceptibly nearer a climax not a single confirmed fact reveals that either town is more seriously threatened than for several days. Many reports suggest that at numerous points in the three main zones of fighting the Russians are developing successful counter-attacks. The Russians are making good use of the marshy terrain around Leningrad, while the Odessa garrison was recently strengthened. There has .been no relaxation in the pressure on Leningrad from the west and south-west but the slowness of the German advance is in contrast to the classic blitz methods and already are suggested to compare with Madrid where fighting in the suburbs proceeded to the end of the war. The main Moscow-Leningrad railway is possibly now unable to be Used as a result of the continuous Luftwaffe attacks, but an Indirect line via Balogda remains open. Over this the Russians are unceasingly pouring in reinforcements to Leningrad, this indicating that Marshal Voroshilov does not fear the early fall of the city. Marshal Voroshilov’s frequent counterattacks are seriously dislocating the German offensive and all the Luftwaffe’s attempts to gain command of the air or at least destroy Leningrad’s airports have not succeeded owing to the tenacity of the Russian air fighters and the accuracy of anti-aircraft units.

According to reports from Berlin hundreds of German bombers and divebombers are operating in waves over the northern front. Every Berlin comment on the northern fighting emphasises the severity of the Russian resistance. It is stated that the slowly advancing Germans have encountered bitter opposition at every tree clump and hillock. Unlucky Proposition For Hitler The correspondent of “The Times” on the German frontier says that violent combats are reported between the Gulf of Finland and Lake Umen and also aroUnd Luga where both sides are using large numbers of heavy tanks. He adds that nothing substantiates the German High Comman’s claim that the situation in Leningrad is beginning to turn favourably for the attackers.

M. Lozovsky, the Soviet Spokesman, stated that Leningrad is proving an unlucky proposition for Hitler. The Germans are not only failing to advance but have been forced to bring up reinforcements to keep the ground already captured. The Germans are battling aimlessly between Leningrad and Novgorod against Marshal Voroshilov's armies.

The Berlin radio to-night claimed that severe attacks against Russian positions and troop concentrations south of Lake Ladoga caused immense losses of men and materials.

A Finnish communique claims that after three days of fighting between Lake Onega and Lake Ladoga the Finns reached Suojarvi, representing an advance of 50 miles. An indication that the Russian air force is hitting back sternly at Odessa is contained in a report from neutral sources that “although Odessa’s seven aerodromes cannot be used for bases, Russian planes come and go from the Crimea without pause.” A “Red Star” report states that the Black Sea fleet, participating in the defence of Odessa, successfully shelled troop concentrations.

Kiev continues to resist as defiantly as Odessa although some reports indicate that heavier German pressure against Kiev from the west. The German offensive at the Dnieper bend apparently relaxed. It is suggested that the Germans are possibly waiting for a fall in the level of the Dnieper as a result of the blowing up of the Dnieper Dam, thus narrowing the river and simplifying a crossing.

According to a Stockholm report German claims of progress on the central front refer to considerable gams eastwards from Velikiye Luki where Berlin suggests thqt the Germans will shortly reach the source of the Volga River. Meanwhile Moscow reports further successes in local operations in the direction of Gomel. At one point a Russian rifle division, after overcoming considerable resistance, recaptured a number of large villages. Russian dive-bombers are reported to have wrecked military bridges across the Khama River where hundreds of Germans were drowned.

A Russian air force officer, General Grendal, writing in the “Red Star” declared that Germany had flung almost the entire Luftwaffe comprising four air fleets and one air corps against Russia but had failed to achieve air supremacy. The Moscow radio declared that Russian cavalry attacked a Rumanian Guards Division along the River Pruth. The Rumanians lost practically the whole of the sixth and a considerable part of the ninth and second infantry regiments. Five thousand were killed on one bank alone.

The Italian newspaper “11 Messagero” admits that all forecasts about the duration of the Russian and German war are now useless.

The Germans are forced daily to admit Russian ingenuity in destructiveness, when it is deemed necessary. The latest instance, Berlin radio says, is of Russians exploding high-explosive charges in Viborg by remote radio control. Short-wave radio transmitters are being used to touch off the charge. Berlin also says that the Russians left in Viborg a number of time-bombs, which exploded later, destroying historic buildings. At the beginning of the 12th week of Germany’s war on Russia, in which the Germans have thrown away the lives of countless thousands of men and huge quantities of war material, the Nazis have failed to take any of their three main objectives, Moscow, Kiev and Leningrad. All along the front the Russians are fighting back strongly. It is eight weeks since the Germans issued a proclamation that victory was assured and that Leningrad was threatened, but there is as yet no confirmation of the German claim that the city is under artillery bombardment.

The Russians are counter-attacking and have thrown, back the most for-

ward units of the German forces. The Germans admit that Leningrad’s communications to the east are still open. They claim that hundreds of bombers and dive-bombers are in operation against Leningrad and are attacking the city in’ waves. One Russian fighter pilot said that Stalin’s forces had shot down 300 German machines over the approaches to Leningrad. The "Red Star,” the organ of the Russian Army, states that Germany has sent almost the whole of the Luftwaffe against Leningrad but she has been forced to admit that she has failed to establish air superiority. The morale of the people of Leningrad remains high. “Never will Hitler’s robbers and murderers enter the city,” was the comment of a speaker at a mass meeting of citizens. He said that in addition to the destruction of hundreds of tanks and aeroplanes, hundreds of thousands of Nazis had met their death on the outer approaches of the city.