SEVEN DIVISIONS SMASHED

Timaru Herald, Volume CL, Issue 22064, 10 September 1941, Page 5

SEVEN DIVISIONS SMASHED

SOVIET VICTORY IN CENTRAL SECTOR

Little Change At Leningrad British Official Wireless (Rec. 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, Sept. 8. The Russian night communique states: “On Monday our troops engaged In fighting the enemy along the entire front. In the Smolensk area £ 26 day battle concluded with the destruction of the Fifteenth Infantry Division, the Seventeenth Motorised Division, the Fifth Tank Division, the 137th Austrian Division, the 178th, 197th and 268th Infantry Divisions and with the capture of the town of Neinia. . The remaining enemy retreated in a westerly direction. “Our air force continued to attack enemy troops and planes on enemy aerodromes. On the night of September 7-9 our planes attacked Bucharest. During September 6-9 62 planes were destroyed in aerial combats and on aerodromes while our losses amounted to 33 ’planes.” Reuter’s Moscow correspondent says the Germans certainly have not anywhere like encircled Leningrad. They have approached fairly close only from the south-west but not close enough for practical large scale shelling. Reports concerning the colossal battle raging for Leningrad state _ that the Germans claim to have encircled the city, by the capture of Schlesselburg. A special announcement made by Hitler’s agents states that the Germans have reached the river Neva, east of Leningrad, and to have taken the town of Schlusselburg, which is 25 miles east of the city. There is no confirmation of this report from any other source. ..... . . The Russians state that Marshal Voroshilov, the defender of Leningrad, is getting supplies in a steady stream from land and sea. So far the Russians have been silent regarding the Germans’ dramatic announcement of the advance to the river Neva and the encirclement of Leningrad, also their claim that GermanFinnish troops reached Svir. Whatever the truth of these claims fighting is going on most fiercely around Leningrad. The Russians are oounter-at"” eking ceaselessly nd with the immense forces concentrated at Leningrad there seems no reason why encirclement, if achieved by the Germans, should be more than temporary. A German spokesman revealed the German attitude when he said that the fate of Leningrad was now sealed, "no matter how long the resistance lasts.” The Berlin radio broadcasting a description of the act’on, in which the Germans reached the Neva, said that the Russians across the Neva laid down such a fierce ’®rrage that the Austrians, who carried out the advance, could move only by crawling on their bellies.

Little Progress In Main Drive A fair body of evidence suggests that the main German drive from the west and south-west against Leningrad has not materially progressed. A German correspondent says that the battle in this sector is a struggle for every Inch of ground. He says: “New Russian divisions perpetually thrust against the German lines. Special labour squads are erecting new powerful fortifications behind the Russian lines. Unceasing raids are adding to our difficulties.”

Finnish reports indicate that the Finns are far from full control of the territory through which it is claimed they have advanced to Svir. They face constant ambushes by the Russian forces behind their front lines.

The Germans report sharp Russian counter-attacks in the central sector but claim that they were repulsed and particularly that Gomel is In German hands and far behind the front lines.

Russian reports suggest that Marshal Timoshenko is following up his recent counter-attacks and the Germans here are definitely checked. Kiev remains as a formidable fortress with hundreds of surrounding forts and there, as at Leningrad and Odessa, the whule r ’illation is fervently working for he defence of the city. Little change can be reported in the Kiev bulge or on the Dnieper and Odessa fronts. The Russians at Odessa are constantly sallying out in devastating counter-at* cks.