STALIN IN CHARGE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 July 1941, Page 5

STALIN IN CHARGE

APPOINTED COMMISSAR FOR DEFENCE ANOTHER BALTIC CONVOY ATTACKED. ELEVEN NAZI TRANSPORTS & TANKER SUNK. LONDON, July 19. While the German High Command claimed today that Smolensk was captured on July 16, the-latest Russian communique does not admit the fall of the city, though it reports heavy fighting in the Smolensk sector. The Red Army newspaper “Red Star” claims that guerrillas operating in the German rear have captured two neighbouring towns, and strong partisan bands helped to surround and wipe out the German garrisons. The capture of Novograd-Volynsk, near the Ukraine frontier, is claimed by the German, news agency, but there is no confirmation of this from Russian sources, which mention fighting in the same main sectors of the Eastern Front as yesterday. Moscow radio stated that M. Stalin has been appointed People’s Commissar for Defence in addition to Prime Minister. Marshal Timoshenko, whom he replaces, becomes the Vice-Commissar. The Soviet communique also states: “Our reconnaissances discovered a large and strongly-escorted convoy of enemy transports in the Baltic. Our planes, motor torpedo-boats and destroyers sank 11 transports and an oil tanker. Our losses were one plane and a motor torpedo-boat.” The Moscow correspondent of the “Daily Telegraph” says that more detailed information of the earlier Russian attack on a German convoy in the Baltic Sea on July 12 reveals that four German destroyers and at least 13 armed transports were sunk. The convoy consisted of 50 vessels, and it is unlikely that many succeeded in reaching their own shores. The communique further states: “Russian guerrilla parties are being organised in Norway, where fires destroyed a German army garage and depots for grain.. fuel and ammunition. Serious disturbances are reported to have broken out in Slovakia, where dozens of Germans were manhandled and seriously injured.” REVOLT IN RUMANIA. It is officially stated in Moscow that a large crowd of peasants in Rumania surrounded a convoy of supply waggons for the Germany army, shouting, “We will not give the Germans Rumanian bread.” Eight German and 25 Rumanian soldiers guarded the convoy. The peasants stoned the Germans, and then Rumanian soldiers disarmed the Germans and the peasants seized the supplies. Stockholm reporfs that a goods train laden with explosives blew up in central Sweden, destroying another train and damaging a third and seriously damaging a railway station and houses. The Vichy news agency mentions an unconfirmed report that the Germans have taken prisoner M. Stalin's son by the former marriage, who is an infantry lieutenant. OIL REFINERIES DESTROYED. It is reported from Ankara that the Russian bombings have so severely damaged the Ploesti oilfields that the Rumanian authorities have notified the Turkish importers that oil deliveries must be drastically cut in the near future. Rumania’s oil-refining capacity has

been reduced by millions of tons yearly. The Unirea refinery has been destroyed, together with a subsidiary-’ plant. One plant burnt for 18 hours. Two hundred thousand tons of petroleum products, 18 tanks and other equipment were set on fire. The Red Air Force reports the destruction of two transports and five oil barges on the Danube.