MOJAISK FALLS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20660, 10 January 1942, Page 5

MOJAISK FALLS

RUSSIAN SUCCESS CRIMEA ADVANCE NAZIS FORCED BACK FACING ANNIHILATION (Elec, Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Jan. 10, 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, Jan. 9. The Kuibyshev radio announced tonight that the Russian forces had captured Mojaisk. The Moscow communique merely states: “During the night of January 8-9 our troops engaged the enemy on all fronts.” The Times’ Stockholm correspondent says that General Zhukov’s threat to Rjev thus far has not developed, but his extended left arm has made notable progress towards the encirclement. German troops are still fighting stubbornly on other parts of the Moscow battlefield. Messages from Berlin mention Orel, Kursk, and Kharkov as on the fringe of the heavy fighting. News of the Russian offensive against the Crimea is given by a Tass agency message from Sebastopol stating that in one place a Russian unit advanced four or five miles in one day. A village and several important heights were captured. The Soviet Black Sea Fleet is assisting in the offensive operations by the garrison. Relief of Sebastopol . Allied circles in Stockholm regard the Russian activity at Sebastopol as the turning point in the battle for the Crimea, where at least 100,000 German and Rumanian troops, under General von Manstein, are now facing annihilation. The Daily Telegraph’s Stockholm correspondent says that the defenders of Sebastopol have taken the initiative and driven the Germans from a series of strategic positions in the outer fortifications. Members of the garrison at one point advanced two miles along the road towards Backhchisarai. The Russians launched an offensive when the Germans withdrew some troops to reinforce units retreating from Kerch. Despite the prevailing storms, the Black Sea Fleet is co-operating in the garrison’s counter-stroke. A message from Kuibyshev declares that the most important immediate result of the Russian landings in the Crimea is the relaxation of pressure against Sebastopol. It is now known that the Germans gathered seven divisions, including tanks, outside the naval base. They launched a big offensive on December 16 and by December 27 had forced the defenders back until the situation was critical. Marines Save the Day Marines from the Black Sea Fleet were rushed into the line, fought desperately, and saved the day. German reserves were thrown in to retrieve the advantage, but they were of inferior quality. Picked Soviet units meanwhile began landings on the Kerch Peninsula, where the Germans, on December 26 .had two infantry divisions, one infantry brigade, and a brigade of Rumanians, in addition to considerable- artillery and some mortar batteries. Soviet cruisers and destroyers appeared in the roads of Theodosia harbour on December -30 and fought a gun duel before crashing straight to the quays. The Russians are now moving in an ever-widening arc against the besiegers of Sebastopol. Russian attacks are reported against Finnish positions in the Gulf of Finland, Lake Onega, and the Svir River, according to a Stockholm message, which quotes a Finnish communique as saying: “The Finns repulsed Russian attacks at several points northward of Lake Onega. The enemy also unsuccessfully attacked a. number of other points on the eastern front. ' The Finns claim that they reoccupied Hogland, but the Russian “occupation" of Hogland on January 2 was only a raid aerpss the ice, during which they destroyed everything which could be destroyed.