TOWN PILLAGED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 July 1941, Page 5

TOWN PILLAGED

GERMAN TROOPS CLASH OVER PLUNDER * —, ACCORDING TO RUSSIAN COMMUNIQUE. MANY ARRESTS IN RUMANIA. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) LONDON, July 18. In this morning’s Moscow communique it is stated: “In order to raise the low morale of the German soldiers, German officers authorised the pillaging of the Latvian town of Varakliani for, three days. At the end of the third day, when nothing was left to pillage, new enemy hordes appeared, resulting in clashes between the two lots about the sharing out of the plunder.” The communique adds: “Rumanian and German troops in the region of Ploesti are carrying out wholesale arrests of workers and their families for their refusal to put out fires caused by the Soviet bombing of the oil wells.”

The German news agency says that 16 well-known Communists and Jews were shot in Belgrade for attempted sabotage.

WAR MATERIALS

ANGLO-SOVIET EXCHANGE. VALUABLE CONSIGNMENTS BY AIR. LONDON, July 18. The first British-Russian exchange of wax’ materials has occurred by aeroplane. Britain sent diamonds for use in Russian war factories, and Russia sent platinum for use in the manufacture of British bombs and shells. Only two aeroplanes were required to c.arry the consignments, but their value reached a fantastic sum, says the i'Daily Telegraph.” The flights of the aeroplanes were planned in the deepest secrecy, and both reached their destinations on the scheduled time.

AIR LOSSES

RUSSIAN OFFICIAL REPORT. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.55 a.m. RUGBY, July 18. A Russian communique states: “According to incomplete data 22 enemy planes were shot down from the air and destroyed on the ground on Thursday. Our losses were 8 planes. •

SOVIET & CZECHS

AN AGREEMENT SIGNED. (Received This Day, 9.10 a.m.) LONDON, July 18. An' agreement between the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia has been signed by M. Maisky and M. Jan Masaryk. Soviet war news, published by the Soviet Embassy, deals with the exchange of diplomatic representatives and the common struggle against the Hitlerites.