HUGE LOSSES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 November 1941, Page 5

HUGE LOSSES

SUFFERED BY GERMANS IN LENINGRAD AREA. ATTACK ON KRONSTADT EXPECTED. LONDON, November 15. The “Soviet War News,” reviewing the battle of Leningrad, says that the Germans have used 20 divisions in their attempt to link up with the Finns. They directed their main blows at Lyuban, Tosno, Kolpino, and Shlusseburg, and they succeeded in capturing Slutsk, Pushkin, and Karsnogvardeisk, which are all in direct proximity to Leningrad, but the Russians have checked them. In the fighting for Leningrad, so far the Germans have lost 216,000 killed and wounded, and vast amount of equipment, the bulletin says. The Stockholm . correspondent of “The Times” says there are indications that the Germans are preparing a variation of the operations against Leningrad, including as one of the most important features an attempt to drive the Russians from the island naval base of Kronstadt. Swedish correspondents in Berlin say that the Germans expect that Kronstadt will not withstand for long the heavy artillery bombardment which is now proceeding from the mainland. The Leningrad defenders, “The Times” correspondent says, continue to keep the Germans busy with constant counter-attacks. German long-range guns are intermittently shelling the cut-lying suburbs and Leningrad’s industrial suburbs. The Moscow radio reports heavy fighting m the Tikhvin area, southeast of Lake Ladoga. It says the Germans have concentrated considerable forces in the area and are trying to effect deeper penetration. Fierce battles are still raging in the Kestenga region, where the Russian troops are developing their counter-attack and are inflicting heavy losses.