SACRIFICED BY GERMANS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 November 1941, Page 6

SACRIFICED BY GERMANS

In Attempts to Storm Crimean Defences GUERILLAS ACTIVE BEHIND ENEMY LINES BATTLES ON THE CENTRAL FRONT (By Telegraph. —Press association. —Copyright.) (Received This Day, 12.10 pan.) LONDON, November 16. Fighting in 27 degrees Fahrenheit of frost, the Germans are sacrificing thousands of troops in attempts to storm the Crimean defences, but, apart from their own claim to have captured one fort at Sebastopol, there is no indication of progress. M. Lozovsky said guerillas were particularly strong in the Crimea and units of the regular army were also fighting behind the German lines. The “Izvestia” reports that General Rokossovsky’s troops in the past two days have forced the Germans back in several sectors and captured several villages. Russian units in the Malo-Yaroslavets region yesterday launched a surprise attack, ousting' the Germans from three villages. Fighting is intense in the Serpukhov area, where v the Germans attacked with fresh forces and, after several hours, forced the Russians from one village. The Russians in other sectors of the Serpukhov area overcame German resistance and captured four villages and a railway station. The Associated Press of Great Britain’s Kuibyshev correspondent says the Red Army pressed counter-attacks in the Tula sector, where the Germans are reported to have abandoned several settlements. German efforts to reach the Tula-Serpukhov highway were repulsed with the loss of 2,000 dead or wounded. A message from Helsinki claims that the Finns have advanced 90 miles north from Petrozavodsk, taking the important strategic road junction of Juustjaervi. The Swedish newspaper “S’venskadagbladet” has announced that Finnish troops will begin demolisation shortly, contingents of older men being sent home.