STILL SHORT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 July 1941, Page 6

STILL SHORT

OF RUSSIAN MAIN DEFENCES THE ENEMY ADVANCE ON LENINGRAD. SOVIET HURLING IN ENORMOUS RESERVES. (By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright) (Received This Day. 12.30 p.m.) LONDON. July 23. The British United Press Berlin correspondent quotes official sources as saying that the terrific battles southwestwards of Novgorod and around Smolensk have somewhat slowed down the German advance. The existence of very large Soviet forces in the rear after German armoured units passed beyond Smolensk has forced the Germans to detour widely around that city in order to make contact with their advanced units. The Soviet command is hurling in enormous reserves, seeking to protect Leningrad, Moscow and Kiev. It is also admitted that substantial Soviet forces were “left behind" in a large pocket in the Jitomir area. The Germans have still not reached the main defences of Leningrad, where they expect to find the toughest resistance yet met. SOVIET AIR FORCE HEAVY AND EFFECTIVE BLOWS. ' (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.45 a.m.) RUGBY, July 23. A Russian morning communique states: —“The Soviet air force inflicted blows on motor mechanised units and enemy aerodromes. During July 22 and the night of that day, 39 enemy planes were destroyed in aerial combat and during raids on enemy aerodromes. A quantity of planes, the number of which is being ascertained, was set on fire. Our losses were seventeen planes.”