GERMAN FLIGHT FROM ROSTOV

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 284, 2 December 1941, Page 5

GERMAN FLIGHT FROM ROSTOV

BEST RUSSIAN EFFORT SINCE WAR BEGAN NAZIS TALK REPRISALS DEFENCE OF MOSCOW IS STILL RUGGED (By r. lcc.Hj h —Presa Association—Copyright.) (Recd. 11.3 U p.m.) London, Dec. 1 The flight of the Germans along the northern shore of the Sen ot Azov, as they retreat in front of Marshal Timoshenko’s Russian armies, is hailed as the greatest Russian victory since the war began. From Berlin, as the German forces fall back, comes news that the reprisals laken on the city of Rostov-on-Don, key town to the Caucasus, will reduce it to a smoking pile of debris covering tens of thousands of Russians. The destruction will exceed Warsaw’s, Rotterdam’s and Coventry’s. These reprisals are at present being effected by the Luftwaffe attacking in waves, also by concentrated artillery lire, declared the Berlin spokesman.

Moscow radio declared that the Germans shot hundreds of women and children and elderly men in Rostov before they were driven out of the city.

The Red Army in this area has consolidated its position by throwing back German forces which tried a flanking counter-offensive from the central Don Basin. General von Kleist’s defeat is of great importance at present. as it has considerably reduced the threat to the north Caucasus. Only a Start, Says Russia. The Moscow newspaper Izvestia, commenting on the capture of Rostov says: “This is only a beginning of the correlation of our forces. It is a long process, which cannot come to a head in a few days, but the time will come when the whole of the Red Army will pass from the defensive to the offensive. Everywhere near Moscow, Leningrad, Tula and Rostov the struggle Ls entering a new phase, and a foundation for the rout of Hitler’s army is being laid. However, while the Soviet armies are trying to seize the initiative in some sectors of the front, the Nazi offensive continues. It is a stublxirii, tierce, desperate offensive. The enemy has at his disposal a mighty war machine which is already showing signs of uneven working, but he is still advancing and the situation remains serious.” Izvestia reports that succsesful Russian counter-all acks ait* continuing in tile legion of the Donetz Basin, with Russian Hoops smiting the retreating enemy ami inflicting neavy losses, preventing the Geimans from gaining a strong foothold on new defence lines. Twenty villages itave been freed front Fascist occupation. Ihe Russians in one day killed or wounded 40U0 German officers and men. Major German Reverse. The rimes’ Stockholm correspondent says that the Germans at Rostov suffered very seriously. Indeed, it was the first noteworthy defeat of the war. The latest information s.iown that this was no mere episode, but a major reverse inflated on one oi General Rundstecit’s elite armies. While the remnants of von Kleist’s array are relieating along the shore of tiie Sea of Azov, Hungarians and Italians tin t her inland are falling oack to Stalmo. The consequences of the operation cannot be assessed beyond the immediate effect ot delaying the Caucasus campaign a few very valuable months tor the Russians. The correspondent adds: The posit.on in Russia has distinctly improved since November 27. The Germans have not succeeded In regaining the general initiative on the Leningrad front, and have lost to some degree the initiative on the Moscow front. Sebastopol is holding as firmly as ever, the defenders even regaining strong points, despite a determined fresh German assault with reinforcements.

New, furious spasms can be expected at any moment against Moscow, where the crisis cannot be considered to have passed. The defence the Russians have maintained is still as stubborn as ever. The Germans claim to have captured Klin (4,1 miles north-west of Moscow) and Voloknianisk <7(l miles north-west of Moscow) remains unconfirmed. Latest Russian dispatches from the front state that the Germans in the Klin and Volokalamsk direction tried to di ive wedges in the Soviet line, but Soviet troops counterattacked. preventing the enemy from surrounding or dislodging any of the Russian units. After four days of fighting the Germans have been flung hack from th" town of "K." in the Stalinogorsk area <l4O miles south-east of Moscow). The Germans, in attempting to seize fhe town, threw forward a large force of tanks and motorised infantry hoping to surprise the Red Army. Russian cavalry, supported by tanks, attacked the Germans while they were on the march and forced them to retreat and pass to the defensive. Heavy Luftwaffe attacks failed to check the Russian cavalry, who were supported by fighter planes. The Germans were cleared from 14 villages, and fighting is proceeding near "K.” The enemy are at present bringing up reserves and are concentrating tanks. Position on Central Front An account of fierce fighting on the central front (round Moscow and southwards) was broadcast by the Kuibyshev radio and stated: The Germans here have convent rated 70

divisions, and fighting is continuing without interruption. In spite of the enemy’s numerical superiority. Russian troops are constantly counterattacking and inflicting heavy losses. Particularly heavy and fierce fightir vvas going on in the Klin sector <4O miles north-west of Moscow) on Sunday, anil al some points the enemy had succeeded in pressing hack the Russians, but he was in fact advancing over the bodies of his soldiers. In two days of sanguinary fighting in one town the Germans los* more than 2000 men 60 tanks and 12 guns. In the Volokalamsk sector (70 miles north-west of Moscow) many attacks were repulsed, hut in one sector near a certain town the Russians retreated to new positions. In the Mojaisk sector enemy infantry attacks were also repulsed. There i.s strong artillery activity’ in the Malo Yaroslavets sector <7O miles south-west of Moscow) where the Germans have lost heavily through thp Russians shelling infantry concentrations. In the Stalinogorsk sector <l4O miles south-east of Moscow) the Germans succeeded In advancing to a certain village, hut in another part of this sector the Russians took a village. A Soviet communique reports:— “Fighting continued during Saturday night on all fronts Soviet troops evacuated Tichvin. 120 milgs east of Leningrad, after several flays of heavy fighting” After giving details of the exploits of Red soldiers, the communique adds that, as a result of the stubborn resistance of the Red Army and the enemy’s tremendous losses, i the physical and moral condition of 1 the German troops is rapidly declining. and as evidence of this quotes a prisoner’s statement that soldiers of I the 10th. Tank Division were prom- ; ised that if they took a certain vil- | lage they would be allowed to go i home a promise which was. of j course, broken.—U.P.A.