INTENSIFIED EFFORT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 August 1941, Page 5

INTENSIFIED EFFORT

MADE BY THE NAZIS ON ROUTES OF APPROACH TO LENINGRAD. ODESSA BOMBED HEAVILY. (Bv Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) « LONDON, August 21. Marshal Voroshilov’s stirring appeal to defend Leningrad came as the Germans intensified their twopronged drive toward the city. The thrust from the west along the main railway line from Tallinn has reached a point east of Kingisenn, while the push from the south is centred round Novgorod and Staraya-

Russa, where the Russian communique reported continued fierce fighting, but the Germans so far have made no claims of fresh progress in either thrust. Meanwhile the German news agency claims that the Luftwaffe heavily bombed Odessa yesterday and sank a 6000-ton merchantman and damaged others. A Vichy news agency message from the Soviet frontier says that the divisions of Russian troops defending Odessa are being supplied effectively by sea. The Germans have not yet crossed the Dnieper at any point on the lower reaches, and the only place where they have succeeded in crossing is at the north of Kiev.

According to the Vichy news agency, a Finnish communique claims that naval forces on the night of August 18 destroyed a Soviet convoy in the Gulf of Finland, sinking four transports and a 500-ton escort ship. The air force also sank a 1900-ton ship in a convoy which was travelling from Leningrad, presumably toward the Soviet bases at Hanko, Dago and Osel. The ship carried munitions, food, lorries and petrol.