TOLL OF NAZIS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 63, 16 March 1942, Page 5

TOLL OF NAZIS

RUSSIAN ADVANCES GERMANS ADMIT ATTACKS MAY HAVE INFERIOR TROOPS < By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.) Rec. 7.30 p.m. London, March 14. From Leningrad to Crimea come reports of further Russian successes. It is admitted by Berlin that the toll of German dead and the losses of equipment mounts daily. A special . Moscow communique stated that between February 22 and March 10 on the north-west front the Russians killed 14,000 Germans and freed 84 populated places. Twentyfour German pilots were captured in the last few days on one sector of the north-western front as a result of the shooting down of transport planes attempting to supply the encircled 16th Army. The north-west front lies in the region of Staraya Russa. Red Star said the German reserves at present being thrown in are definitely inferior to the troops used last summer. It is not certain whether the German Command is holding back better divisions for the spring, but many of those reaching the front recently were inadequately trained. A German captured at Yukhnovarea said he was a welder at Saarbrucken until January 23, when he was called to his unit and quickly sent to Briansk from where he was immediately flown to the front. Men in this unit are mostly between 35 and 40. A Berlin communique admitted that after a fairly long pause the Russians, strongly supported by tanks and planes, were again attacking German and Rumanain positions in the Kerck Peninsula but were “being repulsed.” TEN THOUSAND NAZIS KILLED RUSSIANS BREAK THROUGH GERMAN LINES (Recd. 11.40 p.m.) London, March 15. A Moscow special announcement states that 10,000 Germans were killed on the south-west and south fronts between March 7 and 12. Considerable war equipment was captured. The German radio stated that strong Russian forces have broken through the German lines south-east-wards of Lake Ilmen. Fighting has been going on for several days. “German troops are about to adjust the lire.” DOOM FORESEEN TRAPPED NAZI ARMY FIGHTING LOSING BATTLE London, March 13. German spokesmen are beginning to betray exasperation at the mention of Staraya Russa, where the 16th. German Army is lighting what even the Berlin military leaders now seem to feel is a losing battle. The Stockholm correspondent of The Times says that the 16th. Army’s living space is continually diminishing. Less has been heard in the past few days of the operations of German planes over Staraya Russa, where the Russians apparently have gained air superiority, as Russian dive-bombers are now reported to be active against, the congested masses of German troops and materials and successfully aiding the Russian artillery to reduce the German strongpoints. The Russians have made appreciable territorial gains around Dorogobuj, where they at present seem to be advancing on a broad front. The Germans claim that they are maintaining their positions in the Taganrog area against heavy Russian attacks, but the German tone is less confident concerning developments north-west, of Stalino. where the reticence of Berlin suggests that Marsha! Timoshenko’s battering-ram is regaining territory. Berlin admits that Marshal Timoshenko masses a formidable army, also that the Russians at present show a strong aggressive spirit and are attacking in wave after wave. Moscow reports concentrated Ger man counter-attacks on a number of points and particularly violent about Kalinin and on the central and southwestern fronts, but says that all were turned back.