PERSONAL DEFEAT

Waikato Times, Volume 130, Issue 21664, 26 February 1942, Page 6

PERSONAL DEFEAT

STARAYA RUSSA’S FALL | SURRENDER REJECTED | (United Tress Assn.—Elec. Tel. copyright) (Received Feb. 26, 2.1 p.m.) ; LONDON. Feb. 25 Hitler, who was unable to attend j the Nazi Party anniversary celebraj tions, sent the following message:— “Now that the piercing cold is pasi sing from the Crimea and South Rus- ! sia I cannot leave my post, where • preparations are being made for the ! final struggle against the conspiracy, j whose aim is the extermination of all ; Aryans. | “However, it is the Jews and not j the Aryans who are being exterminI ated. When these parasites are rei moved the world will know a long I period of collaboration between the ■ nations, and therefore a period of j true peace.” Personal Defeat The smashing of the 16th German Army at Staraya Russa, is a personal defeat for Hitler. A captured order of the day issued by General Brockdorff reveals that Hitler ordered the surrounded army to refuse to surrender. The Russians gained the ! initial break-through eastwards of I Staraya Russa and advanced southI ward during the night across the ! frozen marshes, rivers and snowfields ! and cut the rear of the enemy. While the main column pushed | on, small parties of skiers over- ! powered the German garrisons ‘ on the highways and in the vil- ! lages.

The Russians moved up field artillery on skis and munitions on sledges. Russian sappers* constructed two cross-country roads, enabling the Red Army to surprise the Germans, who based all their supply depots, repair shops and hospitals on Staraya Russa.

[ The Russians now hold a line from ! Novogorod through Kholm to Veliki- ; yeluki. This sector is vitally import- | and for the Russians’ spring offensive. • It threatens the Germans on both the

i Smolensk and Leningrad fronts. • The Germans are now throwing ! vast reserves into the battle in the j Staraya Russa region in a feverish j attempt to halt the Russians.